The Kochi Corporation’s public adalat to address grievances related to pending applications will be streamlined, with each session dedicated exclusively to a particular subject. The revised format of the adalat will come into effect next month. Talk With Mayor, the monthly public interaction programme of Mayor V.K. Minimol, and the public adalat -- scheduled once every three months -- will also resume from next month after being stalled for four months. Both programmes were suspended following their inaugural sessions on February 23 due to the Assembly election and the enforcement of the model code of conduct.

The civic authorities hope that the election to the post of Deputy Mayor, vacant since the resignation of Deepak Joy following his election as Tripunithura MLA, would held within 15 days of the State Election Commissioner assuming office. “The decision to rework the format of the public adalat is to ensure better control, efficiency, and smoother redressal of grievances. For instance, grievances related to buildings or pensions will be exclusively dealt with during each session. The system will come into force from next month, and the public will be informed in advance about the subject for each adalat,” said Ms. Minimol.

Both Talk With Mayor and the public adalat were among the 21 priority projects identified by the United Democratic Front governing committee soon after it assumed office. The inaugural adalat took up 167 general complaints. “We could resolve many complaints, including the allocation of unauthorised numbers to 497 beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, enabling them to receive the next instalment of assistance. However, we could not act on complaints pending in courts,” Ms. Minimol added. The public adalat will also be held at the Corporation’s zonal offices, depending on the nature of grievances to be addressed.

The next sessions of Talk With Mayor and the public adalat will be held at Mattancherry Town Hall in July. The programmes will be conducted alternately in the city and West Kochi. Initially, the plan was to hold Talk With Mayor simultaneously in both locations every month, with the Mayor and Deputy Mayor presiding over the sessions in turn. However, the format was revised on the grounds that splitting officials between two venues could hamper decision-making.