‘Udupi Help’, an app to address public grievances during monsoon, was launched by District In-charge Minister Jayamala at the deputy commissioner’s office on Tuesday.
The app can be downloaded from Google Playstore and installed on a smartphone with android facility. It will guide the used to select the language of of his/her choice. The mobile phone number should be registered after acceptance of terms and conditions. A ‘one-time password’ (OTP) will be sent to the phone to confirm the registration. The location will be identified through the GPS in the phone.
The app user should furnish details like name, landmark and gender to use the app. There are facilities to submit complaints in the opening page of the app.
There is also a video to demonstrate how to use the app. All kind of grievances that one might face during monsoon can be submitted online. Issues including uprooted electricity poles, flood, damage to houses in lightning, overflowing manholes, landslide and mosquitoes breeding in stagnant water can be submitted online.
Complaint identity
A page is opened once the user clicks the grievance button. There is an option to upload photographs and videos as well. After the complaints have been accepted, the complainant will receive a complaint identity.
“Our target is to solve any problem within six hours,” Deputy Commissioner Hephsiba Rani Korlapati has said.
Once the complaint is submitted, it will reach the IT section of the City Municipal Council and the natural calamity authority of the DC office. The IT engineers will forward the complaints to the nodal officers appointed at different wards.
Through GPS, the team of officials will reach the spot at the earliest. The 35 wards in Udupi CMC limits have been divided into three divisions and each division will have a nodal officer to redress the grievances. Separate teams with members drawn from Mescom, Forest Department and the CMC have been formed.
The deputy commissioner said that the app was developed on the lines of the C-Vigil app of the Election Commission of India. It will help people interact with the staff of the Udupi Municipality.
“The app usage will be restricted to the Udupi City Municipal Council wards for now. There are, however, plans to extend it to the entire district in the future. The status of the complaint can also be seen in the app,” the deputy commissioner informed.