kolkata

IIE DIGITAL DESK ; Kolkata: The corruption helpline launched by Nabanna to curb illegal activities and corruption across West Bengal appears to be facing an unexpected problem. Instead of a steady flow of complaints related to cut money, syndicate activities, illegal toll collection and illicit liquor trade—the four specific areas for which the helplines were introduced—the control room is reportedly receiving a large number of unrelated complaints.

The toll-free helpline numbers were launched last Tuesday with the objective of providing people with a direct channel to report corruption and certain criminal activities. However, barely a week after the initiative began, officials at the Nabanna control room are finding themselves busy dealing with complaints that have little or no connection with the purpose of the helplines.

According to officials, people are calling the control room with complaints ranging from waterlogging outside their homes and lack of water supply to electricity-related problems. Some callers have reportedly complained that they are not receiving money under the Annapurna scheme. In some instances, people have even used the helpline to report disputes among family members over jointly owned property.

A senior Nabanna official said that around 1,000 calls are being received on an average every day. However, nearly 90 to 95 per cent of these calls are reportedly unrelated to the specific issues for which the helplines were established. Complaints concerning cut money, syndicate-related crimes, illegal road tax or toll collection and illegal liquor trade are still being received only in limited numbers.

The situation has created considerable pressure on the personnel working in the control room. Officials have to listen to every complaint, record the details and determine whether it falls within the jurisdiction of the helpline before forwarding it to the appropriate department or authority.

Sources at Nabanna said that every complaint received through the control room is being forwarded to the concerned department. Complaints directly connected with the four designated areas are being given particular attention and are being sent to the relevant authorities without delay so that necessary action can be taken.

An official said that one of the main reasons behind the large number of unrelated calls could be a lack of awareness among members of the public regarding the exact purpose of the newly introduced helpline numbers. Many callers, the official said, appear to believe that the numbers can be used to report any kind of grievance related to government services or civic problems.

The helpline initiative was introduced by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari with the stated objective of strengthening transparency in the functioning of the police and creating a direct mechanism through which citizens could report specific forms of corruption and illegal activities.

Four separate toll-free numbers have been assigned for different categories of complaints. The number 155334 has been designated for complaints related to cut money, while 155335 is meant for crimes associated with syndicate activities. Complaints concerning illegal road tax or toll collection can be registered through 155337, while 155339 has been allotted for complaints regarding the illegal liquor trade.

The helpline services remain operational from 8 am to 10 pm every day, allowing citizens to register complaints during the designated hours.

The government has also warned that the facility must not be misused. It has made it clear that strict legal action may be taken against individuals who deliberately provide false information or misuse the toll-free numbers for personal revenge or vendetta.

Despite the warning, officials say that the control room continues to receive a large number of calls that have nothing to do with the stated purpose of the helplines. Several callers have reportedly had to be reprimanded for making irrelevant or frivolous complaints, but the practice has continued.

Every call received through the helpline is being recorded. Officials have also made arrangements to ensure that the recordings can be retrieved in the future whenever required. This is expected to help authorities examine complaints, identify repeated misuse of the system and take appropriate action where necessary.

Nabanna officials, however, have not completely dismissed the unrelated complaints. An official said that complaints such as the absence of drinking water or poor road conditions are still being forwarded to the relevant departments so that the authorities can be alerted about the problems.

The unusual nature of some of the calls has highlighted the need for greater public awareness about the specific purpose of the newly launched helpline system. While the government intends to use the mechanism as a direct tool against corruption and certain illegal activities, officials at the control room are currently spending a significant amount of time dealing with routine civic grievances, welfare-related queries and even personal disputes.

For the administration, the immediate challenge is therefore twofold: ensuring that genuine complaints related to corruption and illegal activities receive prompt attention, while simultaneously making citizens aware that the specialised helpline is not a general-purpose grievance redressal platform.