CHENNAI: A lack of lessons on civic sense in the education system may be one of the reasons behind the current urban challenges faced, said Information Technology and Digital Services Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan (PTR) during his address on ‘Recipe for Sustainable, Liveable, Inclusive Cities’ at the India Civic Summit, organised by the Oorvani Foundation at the IIT Madras Research Park on Saturday.
The event was attended by residents, residents’ welfare associations, and individuals working in the fields of climate change and environmental protection, among others.
The minister noted that while there are well-intentioned plans from state governments, their execution often falls short. For instance, in Madurai, he said he had prepared a comprehensive master plan for stormwater drains and the underground drainage system, but its implementation is yet to materialise. However, he added that wherever citizen groups actively engage and hold authorities accountable, positive outcomes are visible.
During a panel discussion titled ‘Inside the City Government – How Tech, Data and Process Come Together’, Subham Chattopadhyay of the eGov Foundation pointed out that the numerous apps introduced by state governments to address public grievances are not fully effective. “Most often, what residents want is to connect with a helpline and speak to a person directly about their issue,” he said.
Kayalvizhi Jayakumar, Chennai Corporation councillor from ward 179 in Thiruvanmiyur, highlighted her efforts to help a fishermen community voice its concerns. “As many were unaware of how to function as an association, I appointed a representative from each street and asked them to share their issues whenever they arise,” she said.
Speaking to TNIE, she said she maintains a WhatsApp group that includes officials and residents, where problems are shared and addressed promptly. She added that she regularly visits schools and local communities to review and resolve issues firsthand.
The panel, including V R Vachana (NGO Janaagraha), Poornima CAG, and Pratiksha Deolekar (Praja Foundation), highlighted how there was a need to simplify the budget and make ward level budget accessible to residents and a need for fund allocation to maintain a project after implementing it.