KALPETTA: The district administration has made extensive arrangements for ‘Karuthal 2015’, the third phase of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy’s mass contact programme which will be held here on Monday.
A trial run was held at the venue on Sunday to ensure smooth conduct of the programme. An 86-metre-long and 50-metre-wide pandal with a capacity to accommodate about 5,000 people has been set up at the SKMJ High School ground. Separate counters have been set up for different departments. Drinking water, medical aid and toilet arrangements have also been made for the public. An information centre will be set up next to the main entrance.
Security has been beefed up in the district in view of the Chief Minister’s visit, said police officials. So far, over 8,500 applications have been received for the programme. They include 7,617 complaints registered online and around 800 petitions received through taluk offices and the District Collectorate.
Besides, an equal number of fresh applicants are also likely to turn up at the venue to meet the Chief Minister, the officials said. The programme will begin at 9 am. The district administration expects a turnout of 12,000 to 15,000 people. Tribal people and differently-abled persons will be given preference, said officials. A screening committee had earlier scrutinised the 7,617 applications received so far and disposed of 5,771 minor grievances locally. However, the decisions taken by the screening committee would be taken up with the Chief Minister on the day of the programme, while complicated cases would be referred to the Cabinet.
Applicants shortlisted by the committee would be called at the mass contact programme of the Chief Minister, while new petitions could be submitted directly to the Chief Minister in the afternoon on May 4.
As many as twenty Akshaya counters would be opened at the SKMJ High School grounds to receive fresh complaints. Five more counters would also be set up to provide status of the complaints. The docket number being provided on registration could be used for future inquiry. The complainants/applicants would be provided the status of their complaints on jsp.kerala.gov.in, the officials added.
Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Tribes P K Jayalakshmi, Collector Kesavendra Kumar and others reviewed the arrangements.