Citizens feel addressing vital issues more important that temporary beautification of Doon
Thursday, 07 December 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
While the public have appreciated the ongoing beautification efforts in Dehradun under the Smart City project and as part of the preparations for the Global Investors Summit to begin on Friday, concerns have been raised by the citizens regarding important issues that need to be promptly addressed in the city. Some citizens have opined that the beautification is temporary and will diminish in some time. Instead of focusing solely on temporary enhancements, the government should prioritise the long-term maintenance of the city, local residents said.
Dwelling on the issue, local resident Rajeev Bhatt expressed his appreciation for the efficient beautification work carried out by the authorities. However, he emphasised that these improvements are temporary as they are being done specifically for an event. He stated that the public would be more satisfied if such efforts were to continue and be maintained in the city even after the summit.
Cloth shop owner Ginni Chawla said, “The current efforts by the State government for the city are commendable. However, it is observed that such initiatives are primarily undertaken only when VIPs or other important persons are visiting. The government must ensure that these development projects and improvements continue even after the investors summit or VIP visits. It is important to address not just beautification, but also factors like population, crime and various other issues for the betterment of the city.”
Talking to The Pioneer, the founder of the Social Development for Communities (SDC) Foundation Anoop Nautiyal said, “I commend the ongoing efforts of the authorities for undertaking the beautification of Dehradun. However, it is important to acknowledge that beautification alone will not fully resolve the persistent challenges faced by the city. In addition to this, the government must also prioritise addressing the underlying systemic issues that need to be resolved. The effects of beautification will diminish over time, therefore it is crucial to concurrently focus on addressing systemic issues such as population management, commercialisation, waste management and other pertinent factors.”
