Over 1,000 petitioners thronged the Collectorate on the grievance redressal day meeting here on Monday to hand over petitions seeking Old Age Pension (OAP), land pattas, house pattas and educational loan.
Such a big crowd was not only unexpected but also unmanageable, thanks to increase in the old age pension amount to Rs.1,000 from Rs.500. The police personnel also had a tough time regulating the crowd.
Very limited staff at registration and receipt issuing counter forced the petitioners to wait in a long queue for hours. Separate lines were formed for men and women.
Differently-abled persons also waited in their wheel chairs and tricycles on the first floor. When the lengthy corridor of ground floor was filled with men and women, the Collector, who gave away tricycles to the differently-abled persons, collected petitions from them in person and cleared the crowd within half an hour.
After checking their physical conditions, he also directed them to attend the grievance day meeting on the first floor and sent others home. He advised the officials to verify all petitions and reply immediately.
Block Development Officers should check functioning of sanitary complexes at villages.
Later, Mr. Nagarajan disbursed welfare aid worth Rs.4.97 lakh to 28 beneficiaries and issued old age pension and house pattas to many beneficiaries.
