Bengaluru: In a bid to tackle long-pending civic issues at the grassroots, the Karnataka govt will roll out the “Ward One” campaign across Bengaluru from Nov 1, with officials from multiple departments converging in selected wards to identify and resolve civic problems within a month.Announcing the initiative, Bengaluru development minister Krishna Byre Gowda said the exercise is aimed at improving coordination among civic agencies and ensuring quicker resolution of citizen grievances. Under the campaign, one ward from each sub-division under the five city corporations will be taken up initially, with officials conducting field inspections and preparing an action plan to address critical concerns.Departments have been instructed to depute nodal officers and coordinate closely to ensure issues are resolved on the ground.According to the circular, the campaign will prioritise road maintenance, pothole repairs, footpath obstruction removal, stormwater drain-related problems, garbage clearance, water supply and leakage complaints, streetlight issues, traffic bottlenecks, construction debris and tree-related hazards.Officials will document complaints, track progress through a common monitoring mechanism and submit periodic reports during the month-long exercise.A checklist will be given by the commissioner to the engineers, and they need to first survey the wards on Oct 29. “The objective is to bring all concerned agencies to the ward level, identify pressing civic issues and resolve them. 30 to 40% of this campaign is focused on road and its related issues, which will also give solution to the traffic issues,” Byre Gowda said.Missed collection? Keep waste outside gate: MinResidents who are unable to hand over waste during the scheduled door-to-door collection can keep their segregated garbage outside their premises, the minister said.“If the vehicle timing is not convenient, residents can keep the segregated garbage in their bins outside the building or on the compound wall. If stray dogs are a concern, the bins can be hung on the gate or wall. Our staff will collect the waste and place the bucket back. We will not enter buildings as they are private properties. Citizens’ cooperation is essential for the success of the new system,” he said.
