The Times of India 06.01.2011
MCD goes Facebook way to clean Delhi
NEW DELHI: If you are not happy with the sanitation conditions in your area, all you have to do now is log on to the civic body’s new Facebook page to lodge a complaint and attach a picture to show the exact condition of the spot. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi
(MCD), on Wednesday, launched its Facebook page, which will look into
all complaints, suggestions regarding cleanliness and garbage removal.
“At the 2,078 garbage sites across the city, MCD
will place boards with details like zero garbage time, unique bin
number and complaint number. On the Facebook page, critical information
such as the service standards and the area-wise details of the 12 MCD
zones have already been posted under the tabs ‘services’ and ‘know your
area’,” said additional commissioner Anshu Prakash. In fact, the
numbers of all supervisory staff related to the sanitation department
will also be accessible to the public so that they can call up the
official concerned personally and lodge a complaint.
In order
to monitor the page, the MCD is setting up a control room at its
Ambedkar Stadium office where one assistant engineer and a junior
engineer will be on duty to ensure all complaints are looked into. If
the experiment is successful, it may later include more areas like
public health, roads, and unauthorized construction in the page.
According to MCD, this initiative will ensure public scrutiny of their
working at all times. “The problems and suggestions highlighted by
citizens will receive prompt attention. We have no control over what
anyone is writing. So, if a person makes a complaint, and it is not
attended to, it will reflect on our functioning immediately. We hope to
live up to the expectations of the public through this initiative and
ensure a clean Delhi,”
MCD commissioner K S Mehra said. MCD will take action on the complaint
and revert back to the complainant on Facebook itself.
Initiating the MCD account by signing as a member on the Facebook page,
Delhi mayor Prithvi Raj Sawhney appealed to the citizens to join hands
with the civic body to monitor prompt and effective lifting of garbage.
“I hope that with the cooperation of citizens and prompt action by MCD,
the city will become cleaner,” he said.
Around 400 people have
already signed up as members of the account. “Open space at G Block Hari
Nagar Jail road (opposite Om Sweets) is being used as dumping ground.
The matter was conveyed to the MCD earlier too, but no action has been
taken so far,” said a post.
The corporation claimed it has become the first civic body in India to use interactive medium of Facebook for prompt and effective monitoring of garbage lifting.
