Mysuru: Holding ‘Janata Darshan’ is generally a Chief Minister’s prerogative and we have many CMs who are known to have solved people’s problems at such ‘Janata Darshans.’ Our present Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy too regularly conducts such meet-the-people programmes to have a direct connect with the masses.  

Probably taking a cue from Kumaraswamy from his ‘Janata Darshan’ and ‘Village Stays’ to meet people directly to solve their grievances on-the-spot, Mysuru District Minister G.T. Devegowda (GTD) held a ‘Janaspandana’ programme this morning and according to the District Administration, it is taking the Government directly to people’s doorsteps. It is GTD’s first ‘Janaspandana’ after he became the Minister. 

The much-touted programme began at 9 am today at J.K. Grounds where the entire administrative machinery including Zilla Panchayat (ZP), Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) and District Administration and Police, had pitched tents to hear the grievances of people. Over 2,000 people attended the morning session and the event is expected to continue till late in the night as people continuously flocked the Grounds with applications, hoping to get their problems solved. 

MUDA is people’s target: Interestingly, at the ‘Janaspandana’ most of the complaints were regarding MUDA and MCC and people from three Assembly Constituencies in Mysuru — Chamaraja, Narasimharaja and Krishnaraja — and Mysuru Taluk poured into the event with complaints. 

A majority of the complaints were of MUDA Khata transfer, site registration, title deed and plan approval. People complained that they have to run from pillar to post for obtaining any of the said documents and MUDA officials do not respond properly. Another major grievance was from people who have been waiting for a MUDA site since many years. Several of the complainants were senior citizens and physically challenged. They alleged that MUDA was failing in its duty of making new layouts while private layout makers are far ahead of MUDA in creating new layouts. 

Barrage of complaints against MCC

A barrage of complaints was against the MCC and most of them came from the residents of newly-formed layouts by MUDA and handed over to the MCC for maintenance. Residents complained that the MCC was not issuing Khatas though the sites have been allotted by MUDA. They alleged that the MCC was asking them to produce all the documents all over again to the MCC for getting the Khata. 

Intervening in such complaints, GTD asked officials to make the process smoother. When the layout residents have got the sites from MUDA, there is no need for them to produce documents all over again to obtain Khata, he said. 

There were several complaints on illegal occupation of footpaths, culverts, Raja Kaluves and even public roads. Waste clearance from new layouts, stinking dustbins at many street corners, irregular water supply, defunct borewells and garbage disposal at Vidyaranyapuram were other complaints. Receiving such applications, GTD directed officials to clear encroachments on priority. Several physically challenged people applied for sites and shops for their livelihood. 

Why plastic bottles, asks lady

A lady came up to the Minister and asked him why he was drinking water from plastic bottle and plastic glass when the MCC had enforced plastic ban in entire city. GTD and the officials surrounding him could not answer the lady who chided them for sending a wrong message to the society. The lady was, however, pacified by the officials who promised that plastic will be replaced by steel jugs in the next such meeting. 

Many people demanded the District Administration to strictly enforce the ban on Plaster of Paris (PoP) Ganesha this year. Complaints were also filed on street dogs and monkey menace. 

Well-planned arrangements

The District Administration had planned the Janaspandana event well and over 30 counters were set up comprising various departments. 

Applicants were directed to the respective counters where applications were accepted and acknowledgements were given. Later, they had to wait in the queue till their names are called. 

Officials were seated along with computers for speedy redressal of the complaints and note down instructions from the Minister. Facilities including drinking water, two mobile toilets and food facility to the crowd were arranged. Despite all these arrangements, there was a heavy rush where GTD and other VIPs sat and people competed with each other to meet the minister. 

Krishnaraja MLA S.A. Ramdas, Chamaraja MLA L. Nagendra, MUDA Commissioner P.S. Kantharaj, MCC and MUDA Section Officers, MUDA Secretary Savitha, former MLA Vasu, Mayor Pushpalatha Jagannath, Deputy Mayor Shafi Ahmed, DC Abhiram G. Sankar, MUDA Commissioner H.N. Vijay, ZP CEO K. Jyothi, Karnataka Exhibition Authority Chairman Abdul Azeez, City Police Commissioner K.T. Balakrishna, SP Ryshyanth and other officers were present.