mid-day Opinion: Surprise checks must be consistent to be effective

NMMC chief Dr Kailas Shinde

The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) chief Dr Kailas Shinde recently conducted a bicycle inspection tour across several parts of Belapur and Nerul, along with senior officials of the civic body.

The three-hour inspection was undertaken in line with PM Narendra Modi's recent appeal to citizens in the backdrop of the West Asian crisis and the state government's advisory encouraging fuel conservation and environmentally conscious practices.

The team reviewed key civic infrastructure and public amenities on the ground. The commissioner, our Sunday mid-day report stated, reviewed sanitation, public toilets, gardens, cycle tracks, markets and pump houses, while stopping at several locations to issue spot instructions to officials. There was a focus on hygiene.

While the commissioner on a cycle tour is good optics, it is important that this tour produces solid results. Recommendations by the civic chief must be carried out. Action must be quick and, more importantly, it must be consistent.

While a cycle tour also gives a message of sustainability, this must be accompanied by eco-friendly measures on the ground. Moreover, these drives or initiatives need to be consistent. Regular checks and ensuring that the situation changes on the ground give real meaning to these initiatives. Finally, surprise checks will keep those responsible on their toes at all times.

We have to build bridges of trust between people and their representatives, too. Seeing that unique, eye-catching exercises translate into action and improvement is the way ahead.