VIJAYAWADA: Common man’s position in the state has been worsening day-by-day as the officials are not responding or working unless there are suicide threats. In last week, four such incidents took place in Anantapur, Guntur, Krishna, and Srikakulam districts. The reasons are non-issuance of pattadar passbook, not giving sanction to set up agricultural pump set, dairy farm establishment, among others.
Despite the government’s efforts to address issues with a toll-free number 1100, good governance, real-time governance and other best practices, the working style of the officials and the functioning of the government has remained the same, affecting the public.
A senior IAS official said that corruption in the Revenue Department has been increasing despite several transparent systems at the ground-level. On Monday, the Grievance Redressal Day in Chittoor and Srikakulam district collectorates and in Guntur Zila Praja Parishad office, three farmers attempted suicide.
In Chittoor, a farmer named Uday Kumar, with his wife and three children, gave a representation to district collector Pradyumna complaining that officials were issuing Pattadar passbooks to others, for the land under their tenure, even though they had applied for the same.
Distressed with the officials, he spilled petrol mixed with kerosene on himself and one of his children. Instantly the collector reacted and ordered the respective Mandal Revenue Officer to transfer the passbook to him with immediate effect.
In Srikakulam collectorate, a farmer named TM Ranga stopped the Collector’s vehicle and doused himself with petrol to which Collector Dhanunjay Reddy reacted instantly, stopped him and enquired about his problem. The farmer complained that he was being denied pump set connection intentionally by a ration dealer.
