J-K: Ramban DC holds Block Diwas outreach programme at Seri, assures action on civic issues
Ramban, June 11
Ramban Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Alyas Khan conducted a public outreach programme under the Block Diwas initiative at Panchayat Seri in Ramban district, where residents raised issues related to drainage, electricity, street lighting, water supply and protection works.
Addressing locals during the programme, Khan said the administration was taking steps to address concerns raised by residents and reiterated that Block Diwas was being organised every Wednesday to bring grievance redressal mechanisms to people's doorsteps.
Referring to the cloudburst that hit parts of Ramban in April this year and resulted in loss of lives and property, the Deputy Commissioner said measures related to flood mitigation and disaster management had already been approved.
Khan said the issue of drainage at Seri, which had been flagged earlier, was again brought to the administration's notice during the outreach programme. He assured residents that protection works linked to the area would be covered under the approved plans.
Speaking about electricity-related concerns, Khan acknowledged that residents of hilly areas often face disruptions due to storms and adverse weather conditions.
"Because of the hilly region, issues related to electricity arise during storms. We hope you do not have to face the same issues again," he said.
On demands for improved street lighting, the Deputy Commissioner said five street lights would be installed in the market area by Saturday evening. He also said efforts would be made to arrange three to four solar lights for the locality.
Addressing water supply concerns, Khan said the matter would be discussed in the presence of residents and assured that work related to filtration plants would be initiated, as there were no land-related issues pending.
He further stated that protection works in the area would be taken up under the approved plan and said any additional protection requirements could be submitted to the administration through applications for consideration under supplementary proposals. He added that erosion-related concerns would also be included under additional plans wherever required.
A resident told ANI that the initiative was a positive step as officials listened to people's concerns directly. The resident said some issues were resolved immediately, while assurances were given that the remaining problems would be addressed shortly.
Khan further mentioned that the objective of the weekly Block Diwas programme was to ensure that public grievances are heard and resolved at the grassroots level through direct interaction between the administration and citizens.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Finally, officials going to the ground instead of expecting people to come to them! 😊 The mention of solar lights for the locality is particularly nice - with J&K's sunny days, solar could really help in remote areas. But I'm concerned about the cloudburst impact and disaster management - hope the approved measures are implemented quickly before monsoon hits full force.
I've studied similar outreach programs in other parts of India. The key here is that the DC actually addressed specific issues like drainage, electricity, and water supply - not just vague promises. The five street lights by Saturday is a concrete commitment. But for hilly regions like Ramban, infrastructure maintenance is always a challenge. Let's see how sustainable these solutions are.
The cloudburst in April was devastating for Ramban. Glad to see disaster management is on the agenda. But the DC says "measures already approved" - I wish they'd share the timeline. Also, filtration plants for water supply? Long overdue in hilly areas where natural sources get contaminated after rains. Block Diwas is good but we need more than just weekly meetings.
Interesting approach - taking administration to the people's doorstep. The DC's acknowledgment that electricity issues in hills are storm-related is honest. However, five street lights for a market area seems minimal. For a panchayat like Seri, they probably need many more, especially along rural roads. Solar lights are a smart addition though - low maintenance and sustainable.
Good to see administration actively engaging with public. But I'd have liked more specific timelines for the drainage
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