Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Urban Development and Energy Minister A.K. Sharma reviewed public grievances from different districts through the Sambhav grievance redressal portal on Wednesday and directed officials to ensure timely and effective resolution of complaints.
During the online public hearing, Sharma ordered immediate action in several cases and called for inquiries in serious or pending matters, including action against officials found responsible for negligence. Several complainants expressed their gratitude after their cases were resolved.
In a case from Ghazipur, Ram Pratap Singh complained that work had not begun despite payment of the estimated project cost. Sharma directed the Managing Director of Purvanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam to investigate the matter and take appropriate action, observing that failure to start work after receiving funds amounted to serious negligence.
A complaint from Gonda regarding the alleged arbitrary removal of contractual workers was also ordered to be investigated. In Firozabad, a bereaved family thanked the minister after compensation related to the death of a contractual worker was released.
During the review of Urban Development Department complaints, Shahjahanpur resident Ankit Bhartiya raised the issue of records not being updated despite payment of taxes. Sharma expressed displeasure and questioned why such cases had reached the ministerial level instead of being resolved at the local level. He warned that recurrence of such complaints would invite action against responsible officials.
In Gorakhpur, officials were directed to install solar lights at identified locations. For complaints from Lucknow concerning sewage, dirty water and encroachment in residential areas, municipal officials were instructed to resolve the issues within the prescribed timeframe.
Sharma directed Energy Department officials to ensure uninterrupted power supply and immediately upgrade transformers in areas experiencing increased electricity loads. He also called for action against electricity theft rather than causing inconvenience to consumers who regularly pay their bills.
The minister instructed district-level officials to improve their working methods and said negligence in public-interest matters would not be tolerated. He also warned against complaints of citizens being inconvenienced due to political influence.
Sharma said there was no shortage of funds for public welfare works and directed officials to complete necessary projects on priority within stipulated deadlines. He emphasised that grievance disposal should not remain limited to paperwork and that complainants must receive actual relief.
Senior officials, including DG Vigilance Ram Krishna Swarnkar, Principal Secretary Energy Ranvir Prasad, Principal Secretary Urban Development P. Guru Prasad, Secretary Anuj Kumar Jha, Special Secretary Praveen Lakshyakar, Mahendra Bahadur Singh, MD Mayur Maheshwari and Nitish Kumar, attended the hearing.
