Soon, civic body SMS alert system to help city protect its flora, fauna

Pune The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is all set to launch its SMS alert system that will bring about citizens’ involvement in saving trees and rescuing animals and birds. The system will also help the civic administration in spotting and stopping illegal tree felling and helping injured wild animals in the city.

The latest technology-based system will bring in accountability among civic staff and ensure quick response to the information or complaint forwarded to them.

“The PMC alert system is undergoing trial to ensure its effective implementation. It is a citizen-friendly system wherein anyone with a mobile or an Internet connection can make use of it to get a quick response from the civic administration,” said Additional Municipal Commissioner Naresh Zurmure.

In case of tree alert, information provided by people will be forwarded to respective PMC Garden Department staff for further action. In case of snake, bird and wild animal alert, information provided will be forwarded to the Animal Rescue & Rehabilitation Centre of the Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park & Wildlife Research Centre, PMC.

The web-based tool will be accessible from most of the smart phones and latest Internet browsers. “The PMC will also provide a toll-free mobile number on which a citizen can message information in a specific format. The citizen would also get an acknowledgement with details of the complaint sent and a message about a civic staff getting in touch to address the complaint,” Zurmure said.

He said the acknowledgement would also provide a mobile emergency number so that citizens can call if there is no immediate call from the civic staff. The accountability of the civic staff would be at test as their response time would be tracked in the system and anyone delaying action will face disciplinary action, Zurmure said.

For mobile, a person has to merely send a message in a specific format like ALERT A for rescue of animals. For birds it should be B, D for dangerous tree, F for fallen tree, S for Snakes and T for illegally felling of tree.

There will be provision for uploading pictures so that it will work as a proof of the incident, he said, adding that details of those providing information would not be made public.

Through the system, people can also provide information about the overflow of garbage bin in their respective area. “Garbage containers in each location is given a code. Citizens messaging ALERT C with the container code would enable the administration to locate the appropriate container to pick it up within six hours of the complaint,” said Zurmure. 

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