Volunteer group set up to keep vigil on banners, says Bedi

Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Kiran Bedi on Monday announced that a volunteer group has been formed to keep vigil on the bad condition of roads and also display of banners and hoardings posing a threat to the lives of road-users in the Union Territory.

The former IPS officer, apparently jolted by the death of a woman techie in Chennai last week after a hoarding fell on her, came out with an action plan to ensure that Puducherry offered no scope for such dangerous incidents.

She said in a whatsapp message to the media persons Monday that the volunteer group would function under the guidance of the chief grievances officer in her office, Baskaran.

The group would focus on billboards and banners and post the scenario with relevant photos and videos.

She said the group would function like 'the eyes, ears and legs' of the chief grievances officer and would report the potholes on the roads. They would be transmitted to the departments concerned for immediate action.

Where there was delay or neglect on the part of the departments the officer assigned with the responsibility to rectify the situation projected by the volunteer group would be identified and the names of the officers would be publicised by the group so that the senior would take appropriate action against the defaulting officers.

Where the delay still continued the officer concerned would be asked to turn up at the Open House held in Raj Nivas (office of Lt Governor) every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to clarify.

Bedi said this arrangement had become necessary in the wake of media reports on potholes and also display of hoardings and billboards susceptible to falling on anyone anytime. This initiative was all the more necessary with the impending monsoon, she said.