Government offices come to 'halt' as staff 'too busy' with poll duty

COIMBATORE: With most government officials involved in poll-related work, residents are finding it "impossible" to get their civic problems addressed nowadays. Activists have thus written to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to ensure that essential works do not come to a standstill in the city.
With more than 14,000 government officials deputed for election work in the district, consumer activists and residents complained that the entire administration has come to a standstill, in Coimbatore on Tuesday.When residents approached east zone corporation officials on Tuesday with some civic issues, they were asked to come back after the election is over. A resident said that every time he visited the corporation office to check the status of his application, he was sent away. Activists said it seems like these officials are "on a paid holiday".
According to an official, of the total 730 corporation officials, nearly 400 are involved in election work. Also, of the 2,300 odd sanitary workers, 300 are entrusted with some election-related tasks.
Kathirmathiyon of Coimbatore Consumer Cause said corporation officials often cited hectic poll schedule whenever he approached them to follow up on ongoing projects. "We can understand that new schemes or projects cannot be implemented, but existing works are also not being carried out. The projects and RTI applications approved prior to the enforcement of modal code are also not over-seen by officials," Kathimathiyon said.
Civic activist S P Thiyagarajan, who had filed many RTI applications, expresses similar sentiments. "The officials state lack of staff for delay in issuing RTI responses. Moreover, when some residents visited the corporation zonal offices, they were sent back because officials were busy with election work," he said.
Activists alleged that officials were taking advantage of lack of awareness among the public. "People should question officials and get their work done. Many officials, who are not deputed on election duty, are also neglecting their call of duty," said RTI activist V Ramamoorthy. Each department has allotted a few officials for election duty. The rest of them have to perform their day to day civic duties. However, seeing an opportunity to avoid work, they say they are on election duty, said Ramamoorthy.
Officials have delayed many major works related to water supply applications, drain and road work and issuance of certificates. The activists said the situation wasn't different in other government departments. "People who are waiting for approval for their homes are the worst affected as they have to wait for clearances from several departments," said Kathirmathiyon.
Election commission officials, however, said only 14,000 government officials were deputed for poll duty and the others were expected to continue performing their regular duties.