Kolkata, 5 Aug (H.S.) — The West Bengal government’s ambitious initiative, ‘Our Neighbourhood, Our Solution’, launched on the instructions of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has received an overwhelming public response in its very first days. According to a senior official at the state secretariat, over 1,200 camps were held across the state on Saturday and Monday, registering around 4.5 lakh complaints and demands from residents.
The programme, which began on August 2 in various wards across the state, aims to directly address local civic issues. On Monday alone, 590 camps were organised, drawing participation from 2.51 lakh people. Residents raised demands for road repairs, drainage cleaning, construction of toilets in markets, repairs to local school buildings, installation of streetlights, and additional supply of clean drinking water. In some cases, participants even submitted hand-drawn maps to prioritise road repair work in their areas.
Voluntary organisations assisted at several camps. Officials present on the ground resolved minor issues immediately, while more complex matters were formally recorded for follow-up action. The Chief Minister has stated that projects worth up to ₹10 lakh for each booth will be approved under this initiative.
In Kolkata, the camp schedule initially sparked controversy. The original plan for two camps in each ward faced objections from some councillors, particularly in larger wards. Following discussions with the Chief Minister, Mayor Firhad Hakim directed that one camp would be set up for every two booths. Kolkata Municipal Corporation Commissioner Dhaval Jain said the decision on the exact locations would be taken jointly by the respective ward councillor and the civic body’s deputy manager, keeping citizens’ convenience in mind.
Under the schedule, ‘Our Neighbourhood, Our Solution’ camps will run from 9 am to 11 am, followed by ‘Duare Sarkar’ (Government at Your Doorstep) camps. The camps will be managed by impartial citizens from the respective booths, with officials from civil engineering, drainage, roads, water supply, and electricity departments present on-site to address grievances.
Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh
