Shimla: Officials pulled up for delay in resolving issues

Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 3

As many as 33 grievances and 23 demands were received and addressed during the Jan Manch programme presided over Urban Development Minister Suresh Bhardwaj here today.

A few grievances and demands were disposed of on the spot, while directions were issued to the departments concerned for others redress in a time-bound manner.

“The problems of the poor in the last row are being resolved through Jan Manch over the last four years. The Chief Minister is monitoring the Jan Manch programme,” said Bhardwaj.

While listening to the grievances, most of which related to civic issues like the availability of ambulance roads, availability of water and water connections, lack of cleanliness, etc, the minister pulled up officials from various departments for undue delay in resolving the grievance of people.

“We are all public servants, there should be no undue delay in resolving their grievances,” he said. The minister seemed particularly annoyed with the Forest Department and said that the department was turning out to be the biggest impediment in the development of Shimla.

While much of the complaints related to issues like lack of ambulance road, availability of water and connections and lack of cleanliness etc, one of the complainants raised the issue of city’s Rani Jhansi Park becoming unsafe for women and young girls due to the presence of anti-social element in the park. “Not only the park has become a place for taking drugs but also some anti-social elements have been seen making videos of young girls in the park,” said Meenu Prakash, a local resident. The minister asked the SP, Shimla, to deploy police personnel in plain clothes at the park to nab the offenders and make the park safe for women.

“It’s a very good platform for the poor and unconnected people to bring their problems to the notice of the government. Sometimes some government officials keep our requests pending on one pretext or the other. At Jan Manch, they are made answerable,” said a woman who had listed her grievance at the Jan Manch.

Apart from grievances redress, exhibitions were organized by various departments on the ambitious schemes of the government through around 40 stalls. People were made aware about various public welfare schemes through the exhibitions.

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