CHENNAI: A team of Swachh Survekshan surveyors sprang a surprise on
Chitlapakkam town panchayat officials when they dropped in unannounced on Friday only to find the office empty.
The surveyors had come down to evaluate Chitlapakkam’s cleanliness and sanitation standards for the annual central governmentsponsored Swachh Survekshan survey. The survey members had hoped the panchayat would provide them with a guide to the neighbourhood.
TOI was witness to the events which unfolded at the town panchayat office, where only one staffer was present. According to him, the executive officer was in
Kancheepuram tending to a legal dispute. The town panchayat engineer too was absent. “He (engineer) is in charge of
Mangadu and
Madambakkam town panchayats besides Chitlapakkam. He only drops in occasionally,” the staffer said.
SAravind, one of the survey team members, told TOI that the evaluation needed to be completed by Friday.
After the survey team leader warned that Chitlapakkam will be awarded zero marks if they could not obtain visual proof of cleanliness, a panchayat driver volunteered to take the team around. “Only one vehicle is available. We don’t know if we can make a complete assessment of the neighbourhood. There are at least 14 places to visit in five Chitlapakkam wards,”
Aravind added.
The executive officer of Chitlapakkam town panchayat was not available for comment.
Swachh surprise visit
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