City takes Lokvani for Kalptaru!

?THERE?S A temple in our locality, where a large number of devotees gather to offer prayers. We would be grateful if funds/donations can be arranged for its upkeep.?

“THERE’S A temple in our locality, where a large number of devotees gather to offer prayers. We would be grateful if funds/donations can be arranged for its upkeep.”

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This submission by a resident of a tehsil under Mohanlalganj block figures among the 38 odd e-complaints that have been registered online ever since Commissioner RK Mittal launched Lokvani here on May 22.

“I face threats to my life and urgently need an arms licence. Kindly issue me a firearms license at the earliest,” says Kamal Sahu, a resident of Darzi Bagh in Sadatganj. An e-governance initiative to ensure redress of public grievances and provide information related to various welfare and other government schemes, Lokvani, literally translated means Peoples’ Voice. However, the issues being voiced on it, as in the above case, clearly shows that people, especially those in the rural segment, still need to be acquainted with the very raison d’etre behind the project.

“Yes, we are getting complaints ranging from mundane to surreal but I guess this is just the beginning. With a little bit of more publicity and time people would become familiar with its objectives,” said officer in-charge of Lokvani, Ratnesh. Of the 14 Lokvani Kendras that have started functioning, maximum number of complaints are pouring in from the Mohanlalganj followed by Mal block.

The Lucknow Municipal Corporation tops the list in the grievances column. LDA and the police come a close second.

But not all are naïve and uninformed. Take, for instance, the e-missive from one Rabia Noor, who lives in Aminabad. “Please get the High Court’s directives on easing the traffic problem and removing encroachments from all over the city including Aminabad, Moulviganj and Ganeshganj implemented,” she pleads in her complaint to the District Magistrate. Her country cousin Sarita Devi, a resident of Dayalpur Tehsil in Mohanlalganj prays that the encashment date for the cheque handed to her under the Kanya Vidya Dhan scheme should be extended because of the delay in the delivery of the cheque to her.

Abdul Jabbar of Sadatganj wants that the license for area’s ration shop should be cancelled as the person who runs it is a history sheeter. He indulges in black-marketing and deprives BPL ration card holders’ of their usual quota of kerosene and other supplies. Ram Adhar of Kanchan Kheda Majra Samesi in Mohanlalganj laments that the Nagram police is not lodging the report about the disappearance of his brother, who, he fears has been kidnapped.

“We have already disposed off eight complaints,” said Ratnesh. Each complaint was being routed to the officer concerned for necessary action within a stipulated time frame. After a reminder, the erring officials would be given a warning failing which an adverse entry would be awarded to them, he added.