Some visitors raised concerns about their applications' approval status and whether the system effectively addressed the reported issues.
Police clearing the crowds by 12pm in the afternoon only (Deepika Pasham/ South First)
Praja Vani, the initiative introduced by Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy to address public grievances, garnered significant attention since its commencement on 8 December, with crowds eagerly queuing up to submit their applications.
Due to the overwhelming response and a large gathering near the Praja Bhavan (formerly Pragathi Bhavan) camp office in Hyderabad, the organisers have decided to streamline the submission process. Applications are now accepted on Tuesdays and Fridays from 10 am to 1 pm.
With citizens made aware of the designated submission days, queues begin forming as early as 6 am. The first group is usually allowed entry around 10 am, and once the line is complete, additional individuals are not permitted inside.
While the initiative has drawn substantial public participation, some visitors raised concerns about the approval status of their applications and whether the system effectively addresses the reported issues.
Bharati B, a former Maoist, said, “I was rescued by the Telangana government during former chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao’s regime and given a job as a home guard in the police department. Later I was told that they would have to remove me from the job due to low attendance.”
She said: “We — a group of over 360 home guards from all over Telangana — raised questions them but received no response from officials. I am here to know if the application has been processed, because I did not get a call from any department.”
She added: “I am working as a labourer and facing difficulty in securing a job elsewhere due to our previous employment in the police department. We request the system to be active and let us know the action the government will take on our grievances.”
Numerous other issues are plaguing the attendees, ranging from problems with double bedroom applications to land encroachment disputes, challenges with disability pensions, and pending salary concerns for government contract nurses.
Take for example the nurses appointed on a contract basis at the Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences (TIMS) in Gachibowli, which was saving lives during the peak Covid-19 period. They are now divided into several government hospitals.
One of them who attended the Praja Vani said, “I am Satyavathi, and worked as head nurse in TIMS on a contract basis. As Covid-19 cases came down, we were divided into Gandhi, Osmania, and other government hospitals, but our issue is that we have not paid for the last three months.”
She asked: “How should we live without receiving our salaries? This was the issue when Harish Rao was the health minister and we submitted our representation to him. Back then, we heard statements like ‘This is the least we are providing you’ and ‘If you disagree to work then we cannot employ you somewhere else’.”
P Maruti, another staff nurse, said, “This is the second time we are coming to Praja Darbar because we did not receive any response on the first application. We will fight until our issues are resolved.”
The Hyderabad Traffic Police, in a tweet on Friday morning, said that movement of vehicles was slow from GVK One, Vengal Rao Park, NFCL, Panjagutta X Roads, Somajiguda circle towards Praja Vani at 10.35 am due to the heavy flow of visitors to Praja Vani (Praja Darbar).
Date: 15-12-23 at 1035 hrs
Due to heavy flow of Visitors to Praja Vaani (Praja Darbar), movement of vehicles is slow from
1.GVK One, Vengal Rao Park, NFCL, Panjagutta X Roads, Somajiguda Circle towards Praja Darbar.
Panjagutta Traffic police are available and regulating traffic. pic.twitter.com/RR8HgoZzRa— Hyderabad Traffic Police (@HYDTP) December 15, 2023
Narayanamma, who had been waiting since 6 am, expressed frustration.
“We were allowed inside at 11 am, and after I submitted my application, they seemed to be setting aside the papers without providing any resolution,” she said.
“My application for government-provided 2BHK houses was rejected twice, although I received a call from the government. When we reached out, they said ‘Reddy’s will not be given the double bedroom’,” she said.
A group of village revenue assistants (VRA), who also protested in the initial days for their salary issues, were seen attending the Praja Vani in huge numbers.
One of them, Karunakar, told South First, “We came from Kalwakurthy, and many of us have come to submit applications because there have been no promotions in our field. We have been working for lower salaries under pressure.”
Another group of people were students of the National Institute for the Mentally Handicapped (NIMH), which is located in Old Bowenpally in Hyderabad.
They and their parents presented their problems to the authorities and requested their share in government schemes.
G Krishnaveni, the mother of one of the students, told South First, “We have applied on behalf of many students. Most of them don’t receive pensions. The differently-abled population should be screened to select these active students.”
She explained: “Though they face health issues, they can move ahead in their lives with a little help if they are encouraged. They should be the beneficiaries of schemes like free 2BHK houses, but the previous government did not list our students’ names. We believe this Congress government will help us out.”
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