By Pratiksha RamkumarCOIMBATORE: Raja Gopal Sunkara, who assumed office as Coimbatore Corporation commissioner on Monday, said handling the ongoing second wave of Covid-19 and preparing to handle the predicted third wave are his top priorities.
Stating that Chennai Corporation’s model and results were encouraging, Raja Gopalsaid he would try implementing their public grievance redressal system and focus volunteer system for Covid-19 patients under home isolation in Coimbatore also.
The IAS officer, who has served as additional collector in Cuddalore during the Covid-19 first wave and regional deputy commissioner, South, of Chennai Corporation during the second wave, said he would use his experience in Covid-19 to handle Coimbatore Corporation’s current situation in the second wave.
“We are seeing around 500 cases daily from corporation limits and many cases from nearby rural areas.
Thus, handling Covid-19 is my first priority.
While handling the second wave, preparations for the third wave will also start soon,” he said.
He said the “focus volunteer” system, followed by the Chennai Corporation, where a volunteer will be allotted to every person or family under home isolation, would be implemented and strengthened in Coimbatore.
“The volunteer will handle all the family’s requirements so that they don’t have to step out of their houses for any reason,” said Raja Gopal.
He would also be studying the containment zone prerequisites and systems to take a call.
Regarding many shops continuing to function secretly without permission, Gopal said he would be studying how effective the existing zonal enforcement teams are and then figure out how to handle errant shops functioning.
His next priorities after Covid-19 were strengthening the civic body’s public service delivery system and public grievance redressal system.
“The public service delivery includes cleanliness, streetlights, roads and availing of birth and death certificates.
I remember how much I struggled to get my father’s death certificate, and do not want anyone else to go through the same experience,” he said.
Regarding public grievance redressal, he said the Chennai Corporation had a robust system including a Facebook page, Twitter account and helpline numbers.
“I would bring the same here too.
Besides this, people can come and meet me directly to submit their issues and complaints and we would give it importance,” he said.