Bhubaneswar: With a view to improving the grievance redressal mechanism of the civic body, the top officials of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Monday decided to hold grievance hearing at sub zone levels from December 16.
The grievance hearing or Jan Sampark Divas (JSD) will be held at 12 locations or sub zones on 1st and 16th of every month. It is for the first time that the corporation has decided to have zonal level hearing on a regular basis.
Currently, the corporation holds the grievance at its headquarters at Museum Square every Monday. But, considering expansion of the city and rise in population, the corporation has decided to hold grievance redressal meetings at multiple locations.
According to officials, JSD will be organised in the North Zone office at Chandrasekharpur Kalyan Mandap, VSS Nagar Community Centre, Pahala PHC Hospital, Cluster and Community Centre, Shastri Nagar, Unit VIII Community Centre, Pokhariput SUH, Sahid Nagar Kalyan Mandap, Yatri Niwas, Badagada Kalyan Mandap and Daskhina Chandi Kalayn Mandap. In short, the sub zones like Info City sub zone, Xavier square, Vani Vihar, Kuakhai River area, Khandagiri, Iskcon area, OUAT area, Airport, Bhubaneswar Town Centre District (BTCD), Old Cuttack road, Laxmi Sagar and Lingraj sub zone will have grievance hearing locations.
“The main aim of the JSD is to sort out the grievance as early as possible. Thus, we have decided to hold hearing at more locations. We are reaching a wider audience and the issues will be addressed as early as possible,” said a top official of BMC.
As per plan, the senior officer will attend the hearing and the Deputy Commissioner will act as the nodal officer of the respective sub zone.
“Citizens can raise grievances related to sanitation, street lights, roads and drainages, parking, encroachments, those related financial assistance and other grievances. The top officials of BMC will attend the hearing complaints to take immediate action,” said a BMC source.
According to reliable sources, the corporation has also decided to avoid other meeting on JSD day.
“We want the officers to attend the JSD hearing and for better management the corporation has decided to avoid other meetings on the same. This decision will avoid multiplication of events and ensure that the officers will attend the hearing,” said a top officer of BMC requesting anonymity.
PNN