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Summary
When the plague epidemic hit Surat in September 1994, many felt that this was inevitable given the fact that Surat was among the filthiest cities in the country. Several hundred thousand people, including more that 2000 private medical practitioners, fled the city in panic. Now, almost four years later, Surat City has undergone a dramatic transformation, making it one of the cleanest cities in India.Since May 1995, there has been a substantial decrease in the number of patients visiting doctors for there has been a relative fall in the number of patients afflicted by various diseases. According to the Surat Municipal Corporation, there has been a 65 per cent reduction in the incidence of diseases reported after May 1995. This improvement in public health has come about only because of sustained efforts by the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) to provide good sanitation, drainage systems and safe drinking water.
A study of the process by which all this came about serves as a model for other corporations and local self governments to replicate. The case study shows how within the existing framework of laws governing the Indian administration, it is possible to introduce changes, how the scepticism of the community does give way to trust and enhanced participation in the affairs of the city.
The study has been written on the basis of field visits to Surat and informal discussions with various organisations and office bearers of the Surat Municipal Corporation including the Municipal Commissioner.
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