By Zahid H Javali
This month, Residents Watch enters the 6th year of its existence. Our constant endeavour is to better HSR Layout and bridge the information gap between commercial establishments and the constantly floating residential population.
However, a lot more needs to be done. And here is how.
The local neta should build a mobile app specifically for HSR Layout where residents can post their complaints that make the officials accountable and the administration, transparent. It should have a complaint received and complaint resolved button with a timeline, and the name of the official and contractor responsible for it. It should be a better app than others where complaints are largely ‘resolved’ on paper.
For those who don’t have access to smartphone apps, the MLA should meet in his office regularly for atleast three hours every week and that time should be permanent, so people can walk in with their complaints that are duly recorded by his secretary even when he is absent. The MLA should ‘respond’ to the problems raised and not ‘react’ to them. He should punish wrongdoers, irrespective of their party affiliation.
The MLA and corporator should set up a ward committee comprising genuine, proactive residents and not his partymen. They should publicise every government scheme that the residents can make use of by releasing advertisements in local newspapers and magazines, and on online social media platforms. They should go on regular ward inspections with prominent civic activists and local media to inculcate fear and pressure the laidback, corrupt govt officials to act on genuine complaints. There should be a noticeboard in every govt office that prohibits corruption alongwith a WhatsApp number where people can complain if their problems are not getting resolved.
Jai hind!
