HYDERABAD: Employees of Ranga Reddy collectorate have returned to work after spending a tiring few days on election duty. Perhaps they expected their days to be easier once they were back. But it doesn’t seem they will have an easy time any time soon. Awaiting the employees at their desks are large heaps of files and folders. In fact, not just their desks, files are everywhere -- even on the floors. There is barely any place to walk. Tied up in pink, yellow, white and green coloured cloths, one can see them set aside ‘safely’, awaiting clearance. The scene is such that the pending files are likely to a month to process, or even more.
Crawling back to normalcy
Soon after the polls concluded, people of Ranga Reddy district started knocking the doors of the collectorate. Many of them have been waiting for the officials to get back so that their applications regarding pensions, housing, Rythu Bandhi cheques and others can be processed.
It is learnt that the files have been filing since two months, when the model code of conduct was imposed in the State. Sources within the collectorate told Express, Ranga Reddy district tops the list of pending files in the entire State. Most of these files pertain to the revenue department, many of them concerning land disputes, records of land purification and Rythu Bandhu.
There are 27 Mandal Revenue Officers (MRO) and Five Revenue Divisional Offices (RDO) in Rangareddy district. The files are sent to section officers at the collectorate before it can be sent to the top brass for approval. Officials fear it may take more than a month to clear the files as much of the time will be taken up for the verification of documents and back-dated cheques. This, they say, is time consuming while dealing with land disputes and similar matters. With ZPTC and MPTC elections round the corner, they are afraid even this process might get delayed.
District Collector DS Lokesh Kumar of Ranga Reddy district, when contacted, appeared relieved of having conducted Lok Sabha elections peacefully. “Clearance of files in various sections is regular work and we have given clear instructions to ensure low pendency,” said Kumar, adding that around 60 to 70 files are being cleared on an average everyday.