While reviewing the status of Samadhan Portal- established to have two-way communication between the people and the Government- with the officials, including the District Magistrates, through video conferencing at the secretariat on Wednesday, Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat asked the DMs to ensure that the public grievances are addressed at the District levels. “When the people approach the DMs they must understand that the officers down the line are not addressing their problems, forcing them to approach the DMs. In the same way, when they approach the CMO it means that nothing is being done at the district level. The people are thus not just wasting their time but money. This must be stopped,” CM affirmed.
Reminding the DMs of their duty to develop the right work culture in their jurisdictional areas, Rawat said that the people approaching CM and DMs on petty issues is shocking. “We would not brook such things any longer. DMs must adequately strengthen the grievance redressal system in their jurisdictional limits to stop people from wasting away their time and money,” he said.
To check how things are being dealt with, CM himself tried to call up a complainant during the meeting. A woman from Almora had lodged a complaint over Samadhan Portal, saying that she has not been getting her widow pension. However, as he failed to contact her he asked DM Almora to visit her place and sort out her grievance.
Bina Thapa, a resident of Dehradun, has lodged a complaint, saying that she has not been getting her pension for months together. Despite the DM Dehradun claiming to have addressed her grievance, CM himself contacted her over phone to verify things. Taking note of Mohd Usman, a resident of Udham Singh Nagar, alleging the sewerage in his locality being not cleaned, resulting in the stench making the children ill, CM asked the DM Udham Singh Nagar to explain things. The DM assured that he had had the sewer line cleaned.
While the complaint of Rahul Jagiya, a resident of Uttarkashi, of not receiving his scholarship of the first year despite having completed his diploma course-2013-16 and submitted all the required documents to the department concerned was being heard DM Uttarakashi said that the budget had lapsed with the college authority not placing the matter to the department. Eleven students having similar complaints, DM asked the CM to allocate fresh budget. CM assured the complainant over phone that they would get their dues shortly.
Regarding the complaint of Purnachandra Joshi, a resident of Champawat, of buses from Tanakpur depot not coming to Kichha bus stand, resulting in the passengers’ inconveniences, DM assured that he would look into the matter.
Bageshwera resident lalit Mohan Singh having complained way back in March of an electric pole hanging precariously low with the electricity department doing nothing, DM said that the particular pole was shifted in May. The CM asked the electricity department to take cognisance of similar problems happening across the state.
Responding to Haridwar-based Anil Srivastava’s complaint of condition of the electrical wiring being pathetic in Jwalwapur with only one phase supplying power the entire area, resulting in low voltage, DM said that the problem has been sorted out following which the CM himself cross- checked with the complainant Anil who supported the DM’s claim.
Regarding the complaint of Sridev Suman University student Virendra Singh of not receiving mark-sheet of year 2016 and degree, Tehri DM said that mark-sheet has been released. Taking note of the complaint lodged by a lalkuan Naintal resident of stone crushers running illegally in his locality, Naintial DM said they have issued license to the stone crusher. Haridwar resident Hem Verma’s allegation of the garbage collected from door to door being dumped illegally, resulting in mosquito menace, was taken up too during the video conferencing. The complaint further said that the dairy farmers are dumping solid waste in the open, creating fly and mosquito menace. Taking note of it, the Chief Secretary ordered the Haridwar DM to penalise the offenders under anti- littering and anti- spitting act.
Among the senior officials present at the meeting aside from the chief secretary S Ramaswami were additional chief secretary Omprakash, principal secretary Radha Raturi, secretaries- Amit Negi and Radhika Jha and additional secretaries- MS Bisht and lalit Mohan Rayal.