Petition in the morning, solution by evening
Coimbatore Corporation plans to take its services to the public, rather than making them come to its offices to avail of these or to request for amenities.The civic body has hit upon a `Mini Corporation on the move' concept under which officials and workers from all its departments will go to the wards to sort out problems ranging from a leaking water line to non-assessment of buildings for tax. The slogan will be "Petition in the morning, solution by evening"."Ideally, the works should begin at 7.30 a.m. and go on till 5 p.m.," says Mayor R. Venkatachalam. "Scavengers and workers in the engineering wing will remove silt from drainage canals, clear garbage and fill potholes. Plumbers will fix leaks in water lines and contractors will be asked to repair faulty streetlights," the Mayor says while listing out the works that will be carried out during such one-day Corporation-public interface to solve ward-level problems.Two or three wards will be taken up every week so that on-the-spot solutions are provided in all the 72 wards in about six months. The Mayor feels that this may help in reducing the complaints that are brought to Council meetings by councillors.
"We have discussed this with Corporation Commissioner P. Muthuveeran and he feels that this scheme can be implemented," the Mayor claims, to convey the administration's support to the planned venture.The Corporation will not restrict this across-the-table grievances redressal programme to solving only the every day civic issues."We also plan to assess buildings for tax if the public say that the assessment has not been done despite their having applied for it," says Mr. Venkatachalam. This will be possible because the revenue wing officials will also be a part of the Mini Corporation."We will also tell the people how important it is for them to pay the taxes promptly and help in funding development works that are to be carried out in their layouts," says the Mayor.Asked what has prompted the Corporation to think of such an exercise, the Mayor says: "We need to give the people the services due to them. Then, they will also pay the taxes."
