Shanghai Daily News

If awards were given for a government's care of citizens, Yangpu District would surely be honored.

District officials realize that a lack of communication with residents often leads to misunderstanding and complaints.

In the past 10 years, Yangpu officials have visited neighborhood committees and residential areas twice monthly, maintaining constant communication with locals whenever they are in trouble.

Recently, despite the hot weather, a total of 1,047 district officials conducted a series of visits to address residents' problems.

Problems such as a demand for more water, environmental issues and substandard buildings issues most frequently encountered during the summer period topped the complaint list.

Other problems, such as poor infrastructure in the district's residential areas, are still waiting to be solved.

At the Songyan area located in Changbai community, for nearly 10 years, the residents have suffered from the building's poor insulation design which causes super hot conditions in summer. In addition, water also leaks through the building.

Apart from the unbearable heat experienced by residents living on the upper floors, there is also the trouble of mice running in the ceiling.

As the neighborhood committee has run out of money, the renovation project has been dormant for three years.

After hearing the news, district official Bo Tieling reported the situation to the district government.

A month later, the renovation project started and was completed in two weeks. Songyan residents were satisfied.

Relief from the heat

The hot weather can be a hazard for older people to some extent. After a heat warning was issued by the city's Meteorological Bureau last week, Jiangpu community officials immediately opened some temporary activity centers for those aged 70 and over who do not have air conditioning at home.

The centers soon became an oasis for the elderly. Each day, volunteers man the centers to read newspapers to the visitors and to chat with them.

Extra services, such as health care and law issue consultation, are also available. The community is also offering special care for disabled elderly people. Regular visits and free health care have been conducted.

Noisy neighbor

Meihua residential area residents are up in arms over noise created by the construction of a new high-rise building. They say strict noise supervision is needed.

"We feel like we are living in the center of the street," a local woman living in the area said. Another complained that she lost three bicycles to thieves over the past week.

Xia Kangming, a government official who visited the area weeks ago, remembers vividly when he first came to Meihua community. "The complaints never stop here, but this is the first time that I feel how much they need our help."

As the construction site borders the residential area, the noise of vehicles related to the building frequently bothers the residents. In addition, because a lack of security other problem such as theft often occurs.

Xia negotiated with the related departments and urged them to rebuild the residential bicycle center and set up a security door into the community. The area has now taken on a new look.