Officers of the district administration in Dharmavaram constituency are in a dilemma not knowing whose line to toe - the legally right one or the politically right one. The summary removal and replacement of PDS (ration) dealers in the constituency caught not just the attention of the people but also that of the courts, which directed the district administration to let the previous list of ration dealers stay. While the local legislator wants the changes to be in place, the administration is forced to follow orders. It is widely believed that the top revenue official of Dharmavaram went on leave unable to honour either directives. Having to make do with in-charge officers who need directives from the right point of power before every signature of theirs, the people are a troubled lot, with every thing from a birth certificate to a death certificate to caste certificate, otherwise issued as a matter of routine, being delayed.
Flu and after
The district administration remained alert to the swine flu epidemic, with officials intensifying awareness campaigns all over. District medical and health officer (DMHO) Dr. K. Koteswari held a series of meetings with the medical and paramedical staff, besides seeking the participation of public groups in preventing the spread of the disease. Though the medical officials faced acute shortage of Tamiflu capsules and masks early this week, administration took steps to procure sufficient stocks from Hyderabad. Political parties and voluntary organisations also came forward distributing homeopathic doses and masks to the public by arranging camps at various places in the district. With winter conditions slowly on the waning path and rise in the mercury levels, officials are hopeful that swine flu threat would be over soon. As of now, the district registered two deaths since November last. The officials confirmed that all the patients contracted the virus from neighbouring States or elsewhere, and the virus did not originate in Chittoor district.
Touring for a cause
A host of Ministers, leaders and officials toured Kadapa district in the last one week and addressed a series of review meetings with officials and also used the opportunity to attend marriages. The need to increase revenue was stressed by Deputy Chief Minister N. Chinnarajappa, Minister for Excise Kollu Ravindra and Minister for Women and Child Welfare Peethala Sujatha in a series of review meetings held last week. Measures to curb red sanders smuggling gained focus during the visit of Director-General of Police J.V. Ramudu to Kadapa. Minister for Municipal Administration P. Narayana paid a brief visit to Rayachoti and inaugurated the municipality office building. It was followed by the tour of Panchayat Raj Principal Secretary Jawahar Reddy who reviewed measures to mitigate drinking water supply in ensuing summer. Opposition leader Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy toured Pulivendula for two days and addressed a review meeting on irrigation projects in Kadapa on the third day of his tour.
With inputs from V.K. Rakesh Reddy, K. Umashanker and M.V. Subramanyam
