‘Ensure basic amenities are given to Gurugram residents’: MCG chief

Gurugram: New MCG commissioner Ashok Kumar Garg on Saturday directed officials to ensure that residents get basic amenities meant for them. Garg also told them to ensure that public grievances related to civic issues are heard carefully and addressed and reiterated that in case of negligence, action will be taken against the erring official.
At a meeting held on Saturday, Garg emphasised that negligence or delays in addressing civic complaints would not be tolerated, and warned that officials failing in their responsibilities would face appropriate action.
Garg pointed out that ensuring fundamental amenities such as clean water, effective sewage management, processing of property tax and cleanliness is the core duty of the corporation. He pointed out that the majority of public grievances related to issues like property tax disputes, sewer overflows, uncovered manholes and cleanliness, highlighting these as priority areas for immediate attention. “The quality of MCG’s work directly impacts residents’ daily lives. Better responsiveness will also enhance the public image of the corporation,” Garg said.
The commissioner instructed officials to take a more sensitive and proactive approach to grievance handling. During the grievance camp held on Friday, he advised officials to carefully listen to each complaint, set realistic timelines for resolution, and communicate regularly with complainants regarding the progress of their issues. He recommended that officials maintain open, informal channels of communication, in addition to formal updates, to ensure a more responsive administration. The grievance camp logged 38 complaints from city residents.
Garg also met representatives from the Air Pollution Action Group, who shared specific complaints received on their platform related to air quality and other pollution concerns. The commissioner instructed his team to address these complaints swiftly and scheduled a follow-up review session for the following Wednesday to assess progress.
In response to rising pollution levels, Garg introduced the use of smog guns in key areas of Gurugram to mitigate dust and airborne particles, especially in high-traffic zones and construction sites. Smog guns, which spray fine water mist, have proved effective in reducing particulate matter from the air. “Given the air quality crisis, MCG is committed to taking every possible measure to protect residents’ health. Smog guns will be deployed in pollution-prone areas to alleviate air pollution, especially in densely populated parts of the city,” he said. The commissioner also indicated that MCG would coordinate with private companies and construction sites to enforce the mandatory use of smog guns as part of air pollution control efforts.