Daijiworld Media Network—Mangaluru (EP)

Mangaluru, Apr 12: Following complaints of laxity and irregularities in the collection of census data that began from Saturday April 11, deputy commissioner A B Ibrahim on Sunday April 11 issued a notification ordering the surveyors to follow the guidelines strictly or face disciplinaty action.

The order came after the census awareness committee wrote a letter to the DC, a copy of which has been made available to the media, regarding sloppy work by surveyors in collection of census data.

The committee had said though it had visited houses, conducted information workshops and training camps with regard to census, surveyors in Bantwal taluk had failed to follow the guidelines.

"Surveyors who came to Irwathur and Parlia in B Mooda Grama of Bantwal taluk, Inoli in Mangaluru, Belthngady taluk, Moodbidri, and other places filled Form 3 with pencils, took signatures on blank forms saying they would fill them up later, and handed over photocopies asking the people to fill them up. They also left out those who staying abroad. Moreover, some of the surveyors left the forms with shopkeepers asking them to get them filled by customers. When questioned, the surveyors gave evasive replies saying that they do not have proper information," stated the letter to the DC.

The committee urged the DC to ask the surveyors to fill Form 3 without any mistakes and also offered to send their workers alongwith the census staff if needed so that the census may be completed without any glitch.

Responding to the complaint, the DC stated in his order, "Two rounds of traning were provided to all surveyors, supervisors, and in-charge officers to visit every house in the district and collect and fill in all required data in Form 3. They were given guidelines on how they should collect data and also given handbooks.

"All surveyors must abide by the guidelines they were given during training and visit every house and collect all the required data, as per the directions of the State Commission for Backward Classes. The surveyors must be cordial with the public while collecting data and should not hurt anyone. They should complete the task with the cooperation of the people and ensure that there is no scope for any complaint," he said.

"Any surveyor found filling forms with pencils, taking signatures on blank forms, distributing photocopies of forms, leaving out those staying abroad, asking shopkeepers to make their customers fill the forms, or failing to respond to questions from the people or violating guidelines in any other way will be dealt with and strict disciplinary action would be taken," the DC warned.