It was surprising to note that very few people reportedly attended the Janata Darbar held at Sanquelim on Monday. It is learnt that the government officers outnumbered the public and that most sarpanchas and panchayat members from Bicholim taluka reportedly did not turn up for the event. It must be said that if there is consistent public communication on an administrative level then it would help to bridge the gap between the government and the people. This will help in understanding peoples' expectations better, which would ease the process of decision making. In India there is representative democracy, where people elect their representatives and these representatives administer the state on behalf of the people. Hence, the importance should be given to what people want. Many times the decisions taken by the government do not receive public support. This means the people in power have failed to understand the pulse of the public. This is when the administration should be put to work. A Janata Darbar is an opportunity to feel the pulse of the people. It is beneficial in knowing the functioning of the district officials. It helps the government to know whether the administration is addressing public grievances effectively. Hence it is vital for the general public to attend these Janata Darbars in large numbers.
