For local leaders video conferencing, social media are the way to go

Even as the nation continues to maintain a semblance of normalcy during the ongoing lockdown, local public representatives have resorted to speaking with their constituents

Even as the nation continues to maintain a semblance of normalcy during the ongoing lockdown, local public representatives have resorted to speaking with their constituents via video conferencing and social media.

HT Image

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced a three-week nationwide lockdown on March 24 and with the imposition of Section 144 in the district, any gathering of people was out of the question. So to raise their concerns, people started interacting with local leaders via social media.

“I did a Facebook live session today for an hour during which people raised their issues. In any place where the public said that they are not getting essential services, we took measures to help them out. The whole social media thing started when we first started interacting with the state ministers and is now a means to speak with the public as well,” said Dhirendra Singh, MLA, Jewar.

He said that he is constantly speaking with residents of his constituency. “We are interacting via video calls with representatives of both sectors and high-rises. Yesterday I also spoke with a few NRIs. In fact, instructions to the public kitchen staff in Jewar are also being given through video calls. This way problems are noticed and we work on resolving them,” said Singh.

In Noida city as well, office bearers of various residential bodies are interacting with elected leaders in this manner.

“Representatives of at least 15 high-rises interacted with the Noida MLA on Friday. The main issues were the dos and don’ts for the apartments, garbage collection, regulation of retail prices, payment of water bills, etc. and some passes for residential volunteers for local movement,” said Rajesh Sahay, secretary general, Noida Federation of Apartment Owners’ Association.

In addition, office bearers from individual sectors and the Federation of Noida Residents’ Welfare Associations have also conducted online meetings with Noida MLA Pankaj Singh.

Singh said that it is not just interaction with residents; meetings with party workers are also taking place via video conferencing. “I have spoken to residents today as well and will continue to do so in the next few days. I am planning an interaction with industrial bodies also soon. We are speaking with party workers also in a similar manner. No one had ever thought that this is what it would come to but we are making the best of it. Public concerns are being looked into and this is a great platform to discuss common issues,” said Pankaj.

Residents are also heavily relying on social media platforms for their routine work.

“We are using the society’s WhatSapp group to exchange books among various students from different classes,” said Dharmendra Sharma, president, RWA, Sector 34.

Residents are offering their children’s old school books to others as the academic session has now begun in most educational institutions.