Latest news with #Collectorate
The Hindu
7 hours ago
- General
- The Hindu
/ Visitors to Collectorate raise a stink over poor condition of its toilets
A. Prema, one of the petitioners who visited the District Collector Office on Monday, remarked: 'Look at these toilets. They are stinking! The floors are almost black. The Collector must inspect these facilities, and ensure better amenities for the public.' The toilet facilities, close to the District Office for Differently-abled (North Chennai) on the Collectorate premises, are in a poor condition as they have not been cleaned for over three months, the petitioners say. Over 300 people use these facilities daily — two toilets for persons with disabilities (PwDs), a women's restroom with just two water closets, and one for men with a urinal and a water closet. The women's restroom has only one door for both the water closets, rather than separate ones for each facility. R. Geetha, another petitioner, noticed stagnant wastewater in one of the two toilets designated for PwDs, and rusted hand rails in the other, and flinched. 'The latches in the women's restroom are broken, and there is a large hole in the door. So, we use the facilities meant for PwDs. Further, empty liquor bottles, leaves, and waste are scattered over the floor. We are afraid of contracting infections from these unhygienic toilets,' she said. Meanwhile, the facilities in the main Collectorate building are better now, compared to the previous years, the petitioners say. 'However, the toilets outside are more accessible for those who need to visit other departments within the campus. I had no choice but to use them despite their pathetic condition as it was an emergency,' Ms. Prema said. 'Two nearby toilets designated for officials are always closed. Opening these to the public would be helpful since officials can use toilets in their offices or elsewhere in the building,' she further said. Prabhu K. of the December 3 Movement said he had flagged the issue multiple times with the Collectorate, but no action was taken. When asked about this, a Tahsildar at the Collectorate said the Public Works Department (PWD) was responsible for the facilities' maintenance, and that the concerned authorities were notified of the problem. Later in the day, PWD officials at the Collectorate employed conservancy workers to clean the campus, and said the broken doors and latches would be replaced. A senior official at the Collectorate said there were plans to renovate the toilets, but the funds had not yet been allocated for the same. However, it was expected to be done in March 2026. 'Collectorate officers have been urging the PWD to ensure the regular cleaning of toilets but it has not been done,' she added.
The Hindu
14 hours ago
- General
- The Hindu
S. Ilakkiya takes charge as NTR district Joint Collector
S. Ilakkiya, who previously worked as the Kakinada Joint Collector, has taken charge as the NTR district Joint Collector at the Collectorate in Vijayawada on June 2, Monday. Soon after assuming the office, Ms. Ilakkiya said she would strive towards achieving the goals, including Zero Poverty and Swarnandhra 2047, set by the State government and ensure that the district takes the lead in the implementation of welfare schemes. She expressed happiness at taking charge as the Joint Collector of an important district. Later, Collector G. Lakshmisha congratulated her and presented a flower bouquet. Various officials of the district were present.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
NTR District aims to become Tobacco-free: Collector launches awareness campaign
As part of the No Tobacco Day programme, District Collector G. Lakshmisha on Saturday (May 31) urged the people of NTR district to steer clear of harmful substances such as tobacco, gutka and khaini and actively participate in the state-wide 'Yogandhra Campaign' to build a healthy society. He unveiled an awareness poster on the harmful effects of tobacco at the Collectorate premises. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Lakshmisha stressed that tobacco damages vital organs, leading to severe ailments such as cancer, paralysis, blindness and hardening of arteries. He encouraged those addicted to tobacco to use yoga and counselling, especially at the district's de-addiction centres, to overcome their dependence. He reaffirmed the government's commitment to enforce the ban on tobacco product sale near educational institutions and called on parents to monitor their children's habits. Awareness drives are being conducted across colleges through NGOs, and a mobile awareness vehicle was flagged off as part of a signature campaign where the Collector pledged to transform the district into a tobacco-free zone.
Hans India
3 days ago
- Health
- Hans India
Rajanarasimha calls for legal action against those selling fake seeds
Mahabubnagar: In a strong message to protect farmers, District In-charge Minister Damodar Rajanarasimha has directed officials to take strict action against the sale of spurious seeds in Mahabubnagar and Narayanpet districts. During a high-level review meeting at the Collectorate on Friday, the Minister, along with district minister Jupally Krishna Rao, called for the immediate registration of cases and legal action against those selling fake seeds, warning that no negligence will be tolerated. The review focused on key issues like agricultural plans for the upcoming season, the availability of seeds and fertilizers, paddy procurement, Indiramma housing scheme, seasonal diseases, and progress under government initiatives. Highlighting the government's commitment to farmers, Jupally instructed Collectors to recover pending dues from rice millers, which include Rs 53 crore in Narayanpet district alone. He also reminded officials that the government is offering a bonus for paddy farmers—a first in the state—and said the credit must go to the present administration. Rajanarasimha also directed officials to speed up the construction of Indiramma houses and resolve land issues through the Bhu Bharati portal. He promised to bring the MLAs' request for Indiramma housing list approvals before Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. On the healthcare front, the Minister ordered early preparations for seasonal diseases like dengue and assured that Mahabubnagar Hospital will soon get an MRI machine, CT scan facilities, a Regional Cancer Centre, and an Organ Retrieval Centre. Fogging operations and public health campaigns will be intensified, particularly in vulnerable areas.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
Farmers seek water release
The need to desilt and deepen waterbodies, release water for the double crop region and tackle pest infestation was stressed at the farmers grievance redress meeting held at the Collectorate on Friday. At the meeting presided over by Madurai Collector M.S. Sangeetha, the farmers said that water from Mullaperiyar dam should be released for irrigating the first crop of the double crop region. The farmers urged the authorities to desilt and deepen the waterbodies for storage of more water. They also complained about encroachments on the waterbodies. They urged the authorities to remove encroachments and the need to conduct a survey to ascertain the extent of the waterbodies to remove the encroachments. The Collector told the Water Resources Department officials to take up the survey to ascertain the extent of the waterbodies in the district. The farmers also sought the removal of Prosopis juliflora (seemai karuvelam) trees from waterbodies. The Collector instructed the authorities to look into the issue and also initiate necessary steps to auction them. The farmers complained about pest infestation and diseases affecting the crops. They sought appropriate compensation for crop loss. The Collector instructed the officials to look into the issue.
