PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE / Dehradun
Dehradun district magistrate Ashish Chauhan has directed officials to identify areas that repeatedly generate public complaints and fix accountability for unresolved issues. During the Samadhan Diwas programme held on Monday, he said that a GIS-based analysis of complaints would be carried out to identify such hotspots and ensure permanent solutions.
Chauhan instructed the National Informatics Centre (NIC) to analyse data from the last 10 Samadhan Diwas programmes and prepare department-wise GIS maps. He said that the officials responsible for areas with a high number of complaints would be held accountable if problems continue to remain unresolved.
During the programme, he heard 146 public grievances and directed officials to ensure their timely disposal. Complaints related to illegal land encroachment, boundary disputes, bank loan waivers, electricity supply, drinking water, legal assistance and financial support were among the major issues raised by the citizens.
Chauhan further directed all the sub-divisional magistrates and senior engineers of various departments to join future grievance redressal meetings either in person or through virtual mode. He also asked officials to give priority to complaints received from remote areas such as Chakrata and Kalsi.
Taking note of the complaints related to banks, he directed the lead bank manager to review the issues. He questioned why proper verification is not carried out before loans are approved, which later leads to repayment problems for borrowers.
The administration also focused on issues related to women’s safety and welfare. The DM instructed the district programme officer to strengthen the functioning of One Stop Centres and ensure that women facing domestic or family related problems receive immediate assistance. He also directed the police department to take strict action in cases of assault and public disputes.
Several specific complaints were also taken up during the programme. The DM ordered action on alleged encroachment at Triveni Ghat in Rishikesh, illegal activities near PM Shri Kendriya Vidyalaya in Salawala, land related disputes in Sahaspur and encroachments on ponds and government land in Chharba village. Officials were directed to submit reports and complete necessary action within the stipulated time.
