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Have a complaint against civic staff? Tread with caution

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If you are planning on taking on civic official/s regarding an issue for which no satisfactory action was taken, beware. Municipal commissioner Sitaram Kunte has ordered all the 24 ward offices to put up a detailed board outside displaying the various sections and charges applicable on citizens if they "misbehave" with civic officials.

Civic activists across the city see this move as a way to intimidate them as they often fight for various civic issues. They feel Kunte is trying to stop citizens from demanding answers from the "lethargic" officers.

The board displays several sections and sub-sections of the Indian Penal Code describing the act which can be punishable, what can attract the sections and the quantum of punishment.

Sections can be invoked against anyone for obstructing a public servant from performing his/her duty, getting in any kind of a verbal dual, using abusive language, threatening and manhandling a public servant, extorting from or blackmailing a public servant, barging into the office of any officer, damaging government property, stealing government documents, illegal gathering in a government office and causing disruption in government offices.

"Any kind of act by a citizen could be now termed as offensive. Now, if we even try to question a civic official as to why the work, which s/he is supposed to do, hasn't been done after so many months, it will amount to threatening or entering in a verbal dual or causing obstruction in performing his/her duty," said Aftab Siddique, a civic activist from Khar.

Civic activists from H-west, H-east, K-west, K-east, M-west, F-north and G-north wards are known for their assertive approach when it comes to getting the civic issues in their areas resolved.

An activist from H-east ward said the sections are draconian as they attract jail term. "The sections attract imprisonment from six months to two years and from three years to 10 years. They have also put up a board which says that all the offices are under surveillance of CCTV cameras. This means that if an officer complains against any citizen, s/he will just have to show the CCTV footage as proof. How is this justified?" he argued.

An activist from F-north ward said this means they won't be able to force an official to do his/her duty, which otherwise s/he doesn't intend to. "As it is Kunte doesn't have any control over his officials. Putting up such boards and intimidating citizens will only heighten civic officials' apathetic approach," he added.

However, a senior bureaucrat defended the move, saying that on many occasions citizens and even politicians treat civic officials very badly. "They are vulnerable and are not heard of. In many cases, corporators and complainants take the officials for granted and misbehave with them. This move will protect them. It is our duty to defend and protect the staff," said a senior official.

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