CUDDALORE:
Collector P. Seetharaman has warned of stringent action against officials who absent themselves from enumeration work of huts under the Kalaignar Housing Scheme. In a statement here on Thursday, he said that the work started on March 29 and would go on until May 15.
If officials involved in the exercise had to take leave owing to circumstances, they should get prior permission from higher-ups. Any absenteeism without advance intimation would be severely dealt with, Mr. Seetharaman said. A team comprising the Village Administrative Officer, Makkal Nala Paniyalargal and panchayat assistants had been constituted to take care of enumeration in each of the 681 village panchayats in the district. For going on leave, the VAOs had to get permission from the respective tahsildars, and, the Makkal Nala Paniyalargal and the panchayat assistants from the respective Block Development Officers. If the tahsildars had to deploy VAOs on some other duty, they should get permission from the respective Revenue Divisional Officers. Mr. Seetharaman said that during inspection in Vazhudalampattu, Anukkampattu and Agaram, it was found that officials had not taken proper measurement of the huts. He urged them to use a measuring tape to record the extent of area in which each hut was located. If more than one family was living in the same tenement, the team should ensure that they were separate entities. So far, a total of 60,168 huts were enumerated in 410 panchayats and the task was completed in 42 panchayats. Mr. Seetharaman said that beneficiary families should be present at the time of enumeration and produce ration cards, electricity bills and land documents to establish their credentials. Even huts with mud walls or raw or roasted bricks with thatched roof would be eligible to be included under the scheme, he added.
