The e-Sabha application, a digital complaint management system developed by HELP-O in collaboration with the Department of Local Government of the Southern Province, is revolutionizing public service delivery. This innovative platform streamlines the process of lodging and resolving citizen grievances, fostering greater transparency and efficiency within local governance. Currently, e-Sabha is fully operational across all local authorities in the Galle District, demonstrating its successful implementation and widespread adoption.
Expanding its reach beyond Galle, e-Sabha has also made significant strides in the Matara and Hambantota Districts. In Matara, the application is utilized by the Matara Municipal Council, Matara Pradeshiya Sabha, Akuressa Pradeshiya Sabha, Weligama Urban Council, Weligama Pradeshiya Sabha, and Malimbada Pradeshiya Sabha. Similarly, in Hambantota, the Hambantota Municipal Council, Tangalle Urban Council, Tangalle Pradeshiya Sabha, Beliaththa Pradeshiya Sabha, and Katuwana Pradeshiya Sabha have integrated e-Sabha into their administrative processes.
Furthermore, the impact of e-Sabha extends beyond the Southern Province, with four local authorities in the Puttalam District also adopting this digital solution. This wider adoption signals a growing recognition of the benefits associated with digitalizing complaint management, and its ability to improve local government services across diverse regions.
Accessibility:
The e-Sabha application is designed for easy access, primarily through a mobile app available on the Google Play Store.
This allows citizens to lodge complaints conveniently from their smartphones.
Complaint Submission:
Users can submit various types of complaints related to local government services, such as:
Street lamp malfunctions.
Unsafe trees.
Unauthorized constructions.
Unauthorized street vendors.
Garbage disposal issues.
Drainage problems.
The app allows users to:
Attach images (up to three) as evidence.
Specify the location of the issue.
Provide detailed information about the complaint.
Select the relevant local authority.
Users have the option to submit complaints anonymously or with their identification.
The application supports multiple languages, including Sinhala and English, to ensure accessibility for diverse users.
Complaint Handling:
Local government authorities receive the complaints through a dedicated web admin dashboard.
This system allows them to efficiently manage and process the received complaints.
The authorities can download complaint information as documents for further action.
Council chairmen also recieve notifications of complaints.
The department of local government also have a super admin view to monitor complaint progress.
Communication and Feedback:
The e-Sabha platform facilitates communication between citizens and local government officials.
This helps to ensure that complaints are addressed and resolved in a timely manner.
Push notifications and SMS notifications are used to keep users and government officials up to date.
Transparency and Efficiency:
The e-Sabha system aims to improve transparency and efficiency in local government services by streamlining the complaint management process. In essence, e-Sabha provides a digital platform that empowers citizens to easily report issues and enables local authorities to respond effectively.
