Chandigarh, June 26- Haryana Education Minister, Sh. Mahipal Dhanda on Friday chaired the monthly meeting of the District Public Grievances and Redressal Committee at the Mini Secretariat in Sonipat. During the meeting he warned the officers that negligence in addressing public grievances would invite disciplinary action, stressing that complaints must be resolved with transparency, accountability and sensitivity. He said officers who unnecessarily delay grievance redressal would be held accountable and face action.
During the meeting a total of 16 complaints were tabled before the Minister, of which nine were resolved on the spot. In the remaining seven cases, he sought detailed reports from the concerned departments and directed officers to complete the necessary action with seriousness and sensitivity before the next meeting and submit compliance reports to ensure time-bound redressal of the grievances.
Sunita Devi, a resident of Shastri Colony, complained that although the electricity department had replaced her household electricity meter a few years ago and she had paid all subsequent bills on time, she was recently served a bill of Rs 71,102. She was informed that the newly installed meter had not been uploaded to the department’s online portal and, as a result, the bill had been raised on the basis of average billing. Holding the department responsible for the lapse, Sh. Mahipal Dhanda directed action against the concerned Junior Engineer who had failed to upload the meter details to the portal. He also directed the electricity department that the complainant should not be required to pay the disputed amount, as the error was entirely attributable to the department.
In another case, Balraj Singh complained that an irrigation water channel serving his agricultural land in Ahmadpur village had been blocked after being encroached upon by an individual. Taking cognisance of the matter, the Education Minister directed the constitution of a committee under the chairpersonship of Deputy Commissioner, Ms. Neha Singh to conduct a site inspection and submit its findings before the next meeting.
On a complaint alleging embezzlement by a school, the minister ordered the formation of an inquiry committee headed by the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC), with members of the Grievances Committee also included. The committee has been directed to hear the complainant and submit its report so that strict action can be taken if any financial irregularities are established.
Acting on another complaint, Shakuntala of Janti Kalan village alleged that her ancestral property had been illegally grabbed. The Minister directed that a committee headed by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Sonipat, be constituted to conduct an impartial inquiry. Members of the Grievances Committee will also be part of the panel, which has been asked to submit its report at the next meeting.
Hearing a complaint by Ranjit Singh of Raipur village regarding difficulties in obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Municipal Corporation, Dhanda directed the Additional Deputy Commissioner to examine the matter and ensure its resolution.
Acting on a complaint against a private hospital, the minister instructed the Police Commissioner to have the matter investigated by a senior police officer.
On a complaint regarding drinking water supply raised by residents of Nizampur Majra village, the Executive Engineer (XEN) of the Public Health Department informed the meeting that pipeline-laying work had been completed in more than half of the village and the remaining work would begin within the next month.
Directing officers to accord the matter top priority, the Education Minister said every household must be provided with drinking water and directed the department to complete all remaining works without delay.