Pune: Citizens from various parts of the city have drawn up a list of issues that either needs to be addressed by the Member of Parliament (MP) or that have not been addressed in the last five years.Their demands would be put together and released as a citizens’ manifesto ahead of the parties releasing their own manifesto. Citizens feel that it is time the politicians knew that they were well aware of the issues and want them to be addressed.Members of Wagholi Housing Association want the issue of garbage burning and dumping to be included in the manifesto. The association managed to get a garbage processing plant approved by the gram panchayat after fighting for it for almost a year, but the plant is not in operation. “We will propose that this issue be included in the manifesto,” said Nitin Kumar Jain, director of the housing association that staged a protest march on Saturday.The Hinjewadi Housing Association too has drawn up a manifesto, which will be released soon, said Ravindra Sinha, a member.Shyamala Desai, an activist from Model colony, who is planning to contest the elections, stated that it was time that citizens placed their demands as “there was no point in electing those who release their own manifesto without giving an ear to people’s demands”.“There are several candidates who are contesting the polls even though they do not stay in the constituency. What is the point in having such contestants,” she askedThe citizens also want to encourage people to come out and vote in order to ensure a ‘strong’ governance. Pashan resident Vilas Rabde has started a movement with like-minded people to encourage people to vote for ‘strong’ governance.One citizen group has even circulated on social media groups the role of a parliamentarian and why one should vote and what one should expect. “There are educated people who are not clear about these elections and with parties forming alliances many of them have little idea about the candidates. We conduct small meetings for them at housing societies to ensure that one has proper knowledge about the candidates so that when they come for campaigning they are able to put forth their demands,” said one of the housing society members.With nearly 20,000 housing societies in Pune, the housing federations have stepped up efforts to ensure that people come out to vote.

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