Become the Social WatchDogs & Whistle Blowers for Change
We, the Conscious Citizens and the foundational element of the society, all play a ‘Social WatchDog’ role in ensuring that our public services and systems are properly working, ably administered and that all local bodies, public officials and society members are accountable for effective working and growth of local area, city, state and the whole nation.
ENGAGING AS CONSCIOUS CITIZENS
Active and engaged citizens have a crucial role to play in our communities, city state and for Nation too.
By getting involved in decision-making or impacting and influencing the decision-making process that directly affects us, we can highlight problems and bring about improvements in the design and delivery of public services.
The City Journalist or Citizen Reporter, becoming a Social WatchDog or a Whistle Blower for Change are some of the ways for citizens to participate in public life. They focus on the social integration and growth, community-centered services, environment protection and preservation, local government functioning and the role of conscious citizens as ‘Social Change Agents/Activists‘ in public life.
“Conscious Citizenship requires the will, wisdom and the open optimistic mindset to participate at every level and in every way – to be the arrow; not the target.”
Our Rights and Moral Duties as Citizen watchdogs
A wide range of agencies and regulatory bodies have a role in overseeing the delivery of public services. We can assist the City Administration with important and timely inputs and ensuring that local government and public bodies, their vendors and team are accountable for their respective work.
Why become a Whistle Blower and/or Act as a Social WatchDog?
The city and state manages large number of departments and services to operate, support and manage citizen-centered operations. For effective working special windows which include several different Ombudsman bodies, including some that investigate complaints about particular sector like banks, insurance companies and the local municipal system. for example:
- If you feel that your human rights have been breached or you have been discriminated against in the workplace or in relation to services, you can complain to the Human Rights Commission.
- If you are unhappy about how a local bank is responding for your queries or has been non-professionally treated by a banking body, you can complain to the Reserve Bank Ombudsman for financial matters.
- Similarly for stray animals, local criminals, anti social elements, crime against child, women or Senior Citizens we can raise issues to Women Commission, Police Commissioner Office and related Department Heads or their Complaint Cells
- For mal-practices in Trade and business or substandard services or products we can approach Consumer Court and files complaints against the service providers or sellers.
- If you believe that certain public officials have breached rules in relation to standards of behaviour in public life, you can complain to the Municipal Office Commission, Special Committees for that Subject and State, or your local authority.
All of these agencies will generally help you to make use of their services, which are usually provided free of charge.
You should not need professional help or advice. You can, of course, use professional help if you wish. In some cases, for example where the rules are particularly complex, you may take help from Social Catalysts or Social Activists / NGOs who can provide guidance and professional assistance.
For more information, check the respective department and government websites or see this list of complaint handling bodies, including a range of Ombudsman bodies.
Why Complain?
By engaging with state and local municipal agencies that handle complaints about public services and standards, we can seek redress for our individual or collective complaints.
Sometimes, a complaint by an individual can also expose wider problems or highlight legal or procedural loopholes related to how our municipal bodies, health services, government departments, banking services or other public bodies operate.
When local bodies and administration listen and learn from an individual’s complaint, they can take steps to make sure the same mistake does not happen again. In this way, individual complaints can drive general improvements in public service standards for everyone.
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