Tirupattur Collector to stay in villages overnight

TIRUPATTUR: In a bid to redress the grievances of grass root residents, Tirupattur district’s new Collector D Baskara Pandian has launched an initiative in which he along with top district officials would spend a day and night at a rural habitation which lacked facilities, sources said.

Asked about the idea, Baskara Pandian told DT Next, “I call it “Makkalaithedi Maavatta Atchithalaivar” (Collector at people’s doorsteps). On Friday, I along with the DRO, PA (Agriculture) and other top officials will spend the night at Mandarakuttai hamlet of Bimakulam village panchayat attached to Alangayam panchayat union. We will sleep in the government school and interact with locals casually, which will enable them to lower their defence and talk freely about what they want and what their area lacks.”

Elaborating, he said, “in many land issues, they due to lack of knowledge go to police stations whereas I plan to inform them what actually should be done. The idea is to get them to talk freely which will be the best feedback an official can get.”

Asked if all officials will have to compulsorily stay over for a night, he said, “once I talk to the villagers I will know which officials are needed. I will then send others back.”

Baskara Pandian as Collector of Ranipet created world records in removing more than 350 tonnes of plastic waste within a specific time period and also for planting more than 50 lakh Palmyra seedlings within 5 hours all over the district.

He further added that interaction with officials had revealed that 238 anganwadis in Tirupattur district lacked water supply. “They get their daily water needs met by fetching water from elsewhere and have till now not realised that water connections should be provided to the anganwadi. This will be rectified soon,” he added.

Referring to his village visit initiative, he said, “I hope the move will be able to reduce villagers trekking to the district HQ unnecessarily as till now not everyone who has a need comes to the weekly grievances day meeting.”