DESPITE both parents being doctors, Anindita Mitra chose a different profession for funny reason, but seriously the range of services offered by Indian Administrative Service (IAS) attracted her. There is another story that Dr S Karuna Raju, her husband, an IAS officer, inspired her to take Civil Services. Anindita Mitra, now Municipal Commissioner at Chandigarh, proved to be the first woman IAS to get regular posting in this Union Territory. Anindita had come to Nagpur as chief guest for Dr Indrajit Mitra (her father) memorial oration quiz, organised by Association of Surgeons of Nagpur (ASN). During her visit to Indian Medical Association office on Sunday, ‘The Hitavada’ talked to her. “I wanted to go for Arts, but we both sisters did engineering. After my marriage, I observed my husband working so much. He was able to do several things for the society that made me realise, IAS has range of services. He could bring many good changes in the society.

I thought that like him I should have more areas which I could touch so I opted to become IAS.” In 2007 when her daughter Sanghmitra was two-year-old, Anindita cracked the prestigious examination. Dr Shikha Mitra, mother of Anindita and Nivedita, is proud of her both daughters who chose their own way, pursued on their own, studied, faced hardships and succeeded. Nivedita, who did BE in Information and Technology, joined Infosys. Later, she started Government-registered start-up business in manufacture of sustainable stationary items at Noida. “Both are sincere and devoted towards their study. They both work very hard till they get perfect outcome. I must tell everyone that both my daughters read a lot. Reading makes all the difference,” expressed Dr Shikha Mitra with so much excitement. Anindita had never worked in the municipal corporation but attraction for having range of services and interest to learn is what made her too some new things in Chandigarh. As her mother said, when Anindita takes any task in her hand, she completes it giving full justice to it. In Chandigarh, within a year, she tried to introduce several new things. “Banwarilal Purohit, The Administrator of Chandigarh, who has immense love for Nagpur always told us about 24X7 water scheme being run by Nagpur Municipal Corporation. Taking cue from it, we are introducing a unique water system in Chandigarh which will be first of its kind in the country.

This water system will not only provide water adequately but it will have smart metering system. This system can detect the leakage in individual’s home. It would help us to nab water theft also. We are taking loan from French Bank for the project,” narrated Anindita Mitra. Anindita Mitra though holds top position is very modest. She is a straightforward officer and has her own strategy to deal with the issues with clear views. When this Correspondent wanted to know her view on how a municipal corporation should work, she said, “Working in municipal corporation is altogether different thing because it deals with people on day to day basis. Whether garbage is picked up or not, whether water supply is having some problem, whether sewerage is blocked, whether park is maintained or not etc. This is one machinery that is cutting age level as far as people is concerned. Municipal body has to improve its level of service delivery. But their has to be constant connect with people.” Anindita Mitra admits Municipal Corporation should raise its level of service at the same time she clearly pointed out at people’s non participation and ignorant approach. “Somewhere people should feel for the responsibility.

A citizen can contribute in sanitation, cleanliness of the city. Citizens can not build road, can not build dams, but their involvement makes difference. Indore is bagging first prize in cleanliness because citizens acted with responsibility. They don’t throw garbage anywhere. They don’t use plastic at all, they learned segregation. Plastic is irreplaceable but citizens have taken conscious decision. Sewage water from residences in Indore does not flow into waterbody. Any civic body alone can not do single-handedly unless people join hands,” Anindita Mitra made it clear. In what way we make people to contribute?“Chandigarh is the city prefered by retired bureaucrats, army officers and other well-educated people to stay after retirement which is good thing for us. We engage intensely with citizen forum in Chandigarh. We will be running door to door campaign to create awareness. Secondly, through Swachhata Ki Pathshala we are trying to approach students every morning teaching them the importance of cleanliness and their duties. If we could make them inculcate the habit of understanding their own responsibilities, it will create a complete generation of cultured citizens