Ironing out ward-level issues over a cuppa!

Visakhapatnam: There are several problems that could be ironed out over a cuppa. It is the same concept that prompted municipal commissioner G Lakshmisha come up with 'coffee with corporator'.

In an endeavour to resolve grievances at the ward-level and keep a tab on the progress made in each ward setting timelines, the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) is soon going to host 'coffee with corporator'.

Ushering in the New Year with a set of fresh resolutions, the corporation intends to interpret issues experienced by the people at ground level and ensure that they get resolved in a time-bound manner with the coordination of the ward corporators and work in tandem with the corporation staff. As a part of the 'coffee with corporator', GVMC commissioner, mayor, heads of the departments will interact with the elected corporators on a regular basis. "Issues concerning wards in each zone will be discussed in detail. Depending on the issues brought forward, an action plan will be charted out to address the grievances by classifying them into short, medium and long term basis. Budget allocation will be done based on the route map readied to resolve the issues,"' shares Lakshmisha with The Hans India.

The system, the municipal commissioner says, will be followed throughout the tenure of the council for the next five years in a progressive manner. Starting from 2022, the corporation will reach out to all the corporators on individual basis, covering Bheemunipatnam to Anakapalle. "'The agenda is to have ]one to one' session with the corporator over a cuppa. Since corporators know the pulse of the people better, we (corporation) are going to the zones and meet the corporators individually," adds the GVMC commissioner.

A pro-forma will be prepared to check whether there are any issues pertaining to drainage system, roads, parks, animal menace, among others.