Siliguri civic body to start 'Talk to Chairman' from next week

KOLKATA: The Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) will start a 'Talk To Chairman' programme from next week where residents can call up and speak directly to the Chairman of the Board of Administrators regarding civic issues. The hour-long programme will be held every Saturday. The phone number, in which residents can call, will be announced in due course.

"The residents of Siliguri may be facing problems about civic issues like drinking water, taxation, drainage, health and hygiene, which have not come to the knowledge of the civic body. The Chairman will directly take the phone call in presence of officials from various departments, note down the problem and accordingly take steps to address the same," Gautam Deb, Chairman Board of Administrators , SMC said.

Though Deb had contested the elections from Dabgram- Fulbari Assembly seat, he is a resident of Siliguri. Since 1977, the Left Front board had been holding the charge of the SMC. "Development is lacking in several areas. My priority will be to improve the water supply, drainage, solid waste management, roads, healthcare and other facilities," Deb said.

Siliguri has witnessed urbanisation but development has not been in parity with it. "My focus will be on urban development too,"he added.

Deb had lost the elections this year but was appointed as the Chairman of Board of Administrators in SMC by the state government.

Kolkata Municipal Corporation has been running a similar programme 'Talk To KMC' every Saturday for quite some time with Chairman of KMC Board of Administrators directly taking phone calls from common people. The programme has been very successful.