Residents who regularly flag civic issues on social media have complained that Chennai Corporation workers and employees of the civic body’s concessionaires were preventing them from taking photographs to highlight civic issues faced by the residents.
Workers of a concessionaire who installed a cycle sharing system on Casa Major Road prevented this reporter from taking photographs of them replacing damaged cycles as the cycles they replaced were also rusty and dirty.
Despite explaining that the residents wanted to complain about the poor quality of cycles being replaced by the concessionaire, two employees who had arrived in a vehicle with Chennai Corporation Special Projects logo said the residents did not have the permission to take photographs of them replacing the cycles.
Similarly, GCC conservancy workers in Anna Nagar asked a reporter to delete the photographs taken of them clearing garbage as they were late for work. Owing to the restrictions imposed by GCC workers and other labourers on contract, residents have been unable to share photos on social media to resolve civic issues. In Chennai, fewer residents were sharing photos of civic issues on social media. Most of the complaints about civic issues shared on social media and compiled by GCC did not have an attachment of photograph, owing to restriction by GCC workers in several localities. More than 1000 complaints are registered every day during the monsoon while the number reduces to less than 300 after the monsoon.
T.Nagar resident V.S.Jayaraman who had a similar experience with a GCC worker who him asked not to take photograph in T.Nagar said GCC should sensitise workers about the importance of photographs taken at work by residents who share civic issues on social media.
“People taking photos of workmen doing jobs of Corporation, Metrowater, Tangedco or at public places and posting on social media cannot be prevented or objected to if the intent to highlight the issue is fair and good and no malaise is meant. It is the duty and responsibility of the public to take to social media with proof so as to fix the responsibility. If the job is done satisfactorily, well, the due credit will go to the workmen only. The workmen should worry only if the job is not done properly. In this manner, the accountability is fixed. It is just like the picture of traffic police taking bribes going viral. The departments should welcome this move as it will only improve the work culture of the workmen,” said Mr.Jayaraman.
Jacob Rajan Babu, senior law official of Chennai Corporation, said the GCC workers or workers of private companies executing civic projects cannot prevent any resident from taking their photographs while they were at work, as part of highlighting a civic issue on social media.
Published – January 12, 2025 01:10 am IST