Mathur becomes the first civic body in the country to ban the usage of salutations. People of Mathur village panchayat can call their representatives by name or designation instead of usual salutations, ‘sir’ or ‘madam’ in the office premises. This initiative has been taken to bridge the gap between common people, people’s representatives and civic body officials. This is a unique reformation model for other civic bodies.
Panchayat council unanimously took this historic decision and started implementing the new rule. The 7 CPI(M) nominees and 1 BJP member of the 16-member Congress-ruled village panchayat backed the resolution unanimously without any difference in opinion. Thereafter the civic body displayed a notice outside the office informing people that if at all they are denied any service for not using the salutations, they can lodge a complaint to the panchayat secretary or president. If people get uncomfortable by addressing elderly officials by their name, then they can address them as “chettan’ (elder brother) or ‘chechi’ (elder sister) as called in Malayalam.
