District Panchayat members expressed dissatisfaction at the function of departmental officials in redress various public grievances. At a meeting of the district Panchayat chaired by its president Deepti Rawat on Thursday, the members from different areas of the district raised various issues while also questioning the functioning of officials on issues pertaining to electricity, drinking water supply, health services and roads among other issues. The district Panchayat members also passed a resolution against two departments for the absence of departmental officials in the meeting. The district Panchayat members warned that if the officers of the department concerned are found to be absent in the next meeting, an agitation will be launched. The district Panchayat president passed a proposal against the absent executive engineer of irrigation division Srinagar and against all executive engineers of ADB, except the executive engineer of ADB Pauri, who was present in the meeting.
Member Geeta Rana raised questions at the construction works being conducted by the district Panchayat in the Rishikesh area. Pointing at anomalies in the work, she said that the Gram Pradhan and other representatives of the area have no information about the said construction work. Member Jaideep questioned the attitude of the Public Works Department executive engineer at lansdowne and said the executive engineer didn’t attend any district level meetings. The member threatened that he might resort to protest demonstration if the said executive engineer did not attend the meeting of district Panchayat in the future. Member Devkinandan Shah demanded that hours should be increased for pathology testing in the district hospital at Pauri adding that the hospital lacks an ECG machine and various other facilities for patients. People are also facing problems with the x-ray at the community health centre in Beeronkhal due to absence of a technician. Various other issues including damage to crop by raiding monkeys and boars were also raised in the meeting.