Gandhinagar, Sep 24 — Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has directed officials to resolve a series of public grievances within fixed timelines, including drainage problems, industrial pollution, a long-pending village road, traffic obstruction caused by scrap businesses and sewage discharge into a farmer's field.
The directions were issued during the September State SWAGAT programme, held on Thursday, where Patel heard representations from citizens of Bhavnagar, Mehsana, Junagadh, Morbi and Rajkot.
More than 200 applicants were present at the Chief Minister's Office for the programme, and the government took necessary action on representations from 5,057 applicants across Gujarat.
Of these, 2,277 applications were received through District SWAGAT and 2,780 through Taluka SWAGAT.
In Bhavnagar's Thalsar village, the Chief Minister was apprised of an underground drainage problem. He directed the local administration to immediately make temporary alternative arrangements, inspect the site and lay a drainage line after assessing its feasibility.
A complaint from Kadi taluka in Mehsana about industrial units discharging polluted water also came before Patel. He directed the Principal Secretary of the Forest and Environment Department to take strict action against the units involved.
In Junagadh district's Mangrol taluka, residents had complained that construction of the Labarkuva-Menej village road had remained pending for a long period because of local opposition. Patel directed the District Collector to ensure that the road work was completed before Diwali.
In Rajkot, a representation was made about scrap business activities within the Rajkot Municipal Corporation limits that were obstructing traffic.
Patel instructed the Municipal Commissioner to take prompt action and, if necessary, seal the premises. He also directed that the grievance be resolved within a week.
A farmer from the Morbi Municipal Corporation area raised the issue of dirty water from a sewage treatment plant being discharged into his agricultural field. Patel directed the Municipal Commissioner to resolve the matter within 20 days by laying a 900-metre pipeline.
The Chief Minister also took up the case of an industry in the Becharaji Area Development Authority that had not received construction permission for three years.
He directed the Principal Secretary of Urban Development and the Chief Town Planner to resolve the matter within one month.
The September State SWAGAT also addressed representations on rainwater drainage from farmers' fields, cleanliness, encroachments, and issues related to Urban Development Authorities.
SWAGAT, or State Wide Attention on Grievances by Application of Technology, was introduced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tenure as Gujarat Chief Minister as a technology-based mechanism for addressing citizens' grievances.
The state government said the programme also provided further momentum to the ongoing 'Seva Sankalp Abhiyan' being organised to mark 25 years of PM Modi's public service and national interest.
Senior secretaries of the concerned departments were present during the programme.