Officials give grievances meeting called by Ambala mayor a miss

Shakti Rani Sharma later expressed displeasure on the absence of officials from the meeting called to hear public complaints

Municipal corporation (MC) officials skipped a grievance committee meeting called by mayor Shakti Rani Sharma at the civic body’s office conference room on Monday.

A number of officials gave a grievances meeting called by Ambala mayor a miss. (HT File)

Sharma had called for the ‘khula darbar’ to hear public complaint, most of the which were related to no-dues certificates (NDC), roads, cleanliness among other issues and discuss redressal after consulting the branch officials concerned.

Speaking of the same, the mayor said, “The public is unhappy with the officials of the MC as they are not being guided properly, when they meet them with problems, they are facing due to the many services. The issues related to the NDCs are grave and I’ll take up all the complaints with the commissioner.”

“Despite a verbal intimation and discussion with the commissioner, no one was sent today. Just before the meeting, I received a letter that there is no need for such a meeting and the grievances are being heard, while their subordinates are busy with the ongoing Har-Ghar tiranga campaign. If they are paying head to them, why did such a huge number of complainants arrive today?” she told the reporters, while expressing displeasure on the absence of officials.

Interestingly, in her communication to the commissioner on August 3, Sharma had asked him to designate the conference hall or another open venue to hear public complaints, as her office remains overcrowded hampering her daily working.

“Issue orders to all the officials to remain present at the office at 11:30 am on August 8 and resolve the complaints the same day,” her letter that did n0t mention the said grievances meeting, read.

Meanwhile, as per the reply that Sharma mentioned in her media address, the deputy municipal commissioner (DMC) said that there are five employees deputed to resolve issues related to the NDCs at the conference hall.

“Moreover, officials are hearing the complaints at their own branches and there is no need to designate a separate place for the purpose. Following your orders, executive officer (EO) is hereby appointed to receive the complaints on August 8 and present them before the concerned branch for a redressal. Most of the staff have been assigned duties in the tiranga campaign from Monday,” the DMC told the mayor.

However, instead of the EO, his subordinate was seen at the conference hall.