Dehradun Administration Acts Strictly on Public Complaints, 126 Grievances Registered on Samadhan Diwas
Case registered under Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act over alleged harassment of elderly man
Officials directed to take action on illegal encroachments, unauthorized construction, damaged roads, drinking water and disaster-related complaints
Dehradun, October 5, 2026:
A Samadhan Diwas (Public Grievance Redressal Day) was organized at the Rishiparna Auditorium in the Dehradun Collectorate on Monday with the objective of ensuring the speedy and effective resolution of public grievances. Held under the directions of District Magistrate Dr. Ashish Chauhan and chaired by Additional District Magistrate (Finance and Revenue) K.K. Mishra, the public hearing received 126 complaints related to various departments.
ADM K.K. Mishra heard the grievances of the people and directed the concerned departmental officials to ensure their time-bound and effective resolution. He also reviewed complaints registered on the Chief Minister’s Helpline and instructed officials to give priority to pending cases and resolve them at the earliest.
Immediate Action on Complaints of Elderly Harassment
Complaints concerning the elderly were given priority during the public hearing. Seventy-three-year-old Madan Lal Bhalla alleged that although he had supported his son in establishing a business, his son allegedly abandoned him and failed to provide care during his old age after becoming financially successful.
Taking immediate cognizance of the complaint, the administration initiated proceedings under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act.
Similarly, 74-year-old widow Renuka Khanka alleged that her daughter-in-law had attempted to take over ancestral property, assaulted her and failed to provide care. The Circle Officer, Raipur, and the Women Cell were directed to take immediate action in the matter.
Strict Action Ordered on Illegal Encroachments and Unauthorized Construction
An elderly couple from Gayatri Vihar complained of an alleged illegal encroachment on their legally owned property by a neighbour and non-compliance with sealing orders issued by the Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA). The MDDA was directed to take prompt action.
Sanjay Kumar, a resident of Sevakalan, complained of alleged encroachment on his ancestral land and threats from a neighbour. The SDM Sadar was instructed to take necessary action.
A complaint by Race Course resident Ashish Barthwal alleged unauthorized construction of a three-storey commercial building and other illegal activities by a former councillor. The SDM Sadar and the concerned Circle Officer were directed to conduct a site inspection and submit a report.
Roads, Drinking Water and Public Utility Issues Taken Up
Several complaints related to roads and drinking water were also taken up during the hearing. The Jal Nigam was directed to repair roads damaged after sewer-line construction in Indralok Colony.
In Khurbura locality, the Jal Sansthan was instructed to address complaints regarding contaminated water supply. The Executive Engineer of Jal Sansthan was also directed to investigate alleged irregularities related to drinking-water connections and charges issued before 2024 in the Ranipokhari area and submit a report.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) was asked to look into alleged irregularities in the Asharodi-Jhajhra highway construction. The PWD and SDM were directed to submit inspection reports regarding erosion along the Kharsi Motor Road in Chakrata block and the Koldpani-Sattaur area.
At Kamla in Development Block Kalsi, a complaint was received regarding difficulties faced by schoolchildren after a culvert at Hadiyagad was damaged due to heavy rainfall. The SDM Kalsi was directed to conduct a spot inspection and submit a report.
Disaster Relief and Public Welfare Issues
The administration also took up complaints related to disaster damage and public safety. Instructions were issued to prepare a proposal for reconstruction of an elephant-protection wall damaged by a natural disaster in Kudiyal Gram Panchayat.
The Block Development Officer was also assigned responsibility for installing streetlights along the Prakash Pant Road-Airport route to help protect residents and commuters from wild elephant movement.
Residents of Gandhi Road—Ilma, Prem Bahadur, Saraswati and Ranveer Singh—sought financial assistance citing economic hardship, children’s education and medical treatment. The concerned SDMs were directed to examine the cases and take necessary action.
Joint Magistrate Harshita Singh, SDM Aparna Dhaundiyal, District Development Officer Sunil Kumar, District Education Officer Prem Lal Bharti, District Economics and Statistics Officer Shashikant Giri, Chief Agriculture Officer Devendra Rana and other district-level officers from various departments were present during the public hearing.
The administration directed officials to ensure that public grievances are not unnecessarily delayed and that every complaint is resolved through time-bound, effective and quality action.
