Giridih, July 24: The new deputy commissioner, Shashi Ranjan Kumar, will assume office on Monday and the people are looking at him to revive the often-failing system and re-building the stature of the historical town.

In 2005, the town witnessed the killing of leaders such as Mahendra Singh of the CPI(M-L), five bank robberies ? all within a short span of time ? and the rise of crime against women.

On the education front, even after four months into the academic year, books remain to be distributed among the government schools students. The condition of roads is so bad that travellers avoid most of these routes.

Due attention has not paid to the holy places of Madhuban and Parasnath Hills, which gave national and international recognition to the district. A couple of years after two bridges, on the way to Madhuban, collapsed, construction work on rebuilding them has not started.

Thought the district health department received about Rs 1 crore for the improvement of health services, no significant changes have been noted by the citizens so far.

Rajdeep Gupta, member of a citizen?s council, said that even 30 years after the formation of the district, residents do not get proper water and electricity supply.

With Kumar starting his career as deputy commissioner here, the public can hopefully look forward to some changes for the better.