MAHABUBNAGAR : District Collector Khushboo Gupta has directed mandal special officers to conduct regular field visits to villages and assess the situation arising from El Niño conditions. She emphasised the need for advance planning to prevent drinking water shortages during the upcoming summer and instructed officials to closely monitor the implementation of government programmes at the grassroots level. The Collector reviewed field inspections by mandal special officers during the district-level coordination meeting held at the Collectorate conference hall on Monday, following the Prajavani public grievance programme. The Collector directed the officers to visit villages every Wednesday and inspect government schools, primary health centres, government offices and welfare hostels, besides reviewing the implementation of programmes related to their respective departments. Each officer was instructed to visit at least two to three gram panchayats every week and regularly tour the villages under their jurisdiction every month. She stressed that officers should not limit their visits to villages near mandal headquarters but should also reach remote areas to understand and address public grievances. With El Niño conditions potentially leading to drinking water shortages in villages, special officers were instructed to focus on water availability and take timely measures to ensure an uninterrupted supply. She instructed them to inspect borewells, hand pumps, water supply systems, overhead tanks, pipelines and public taps to ensure they were functioning properly. Any water leakage or wastage should be identified and rectified without delay. Officials were also asked to examine the plans prepared by every gram panchayat to meet drinking water requirements for the next five to six months. They were instructed to formulate contingency plans for arranging water tankers, identifying filling points, determining the villages to be supplied and selecting suitable locations for water storage. As part of water conservation efforts, officials were directed to review the progress of soak pits, rainwater harvesting structures and farm ponds in agricultural fields. Prevent Water and Electricity Wastage in Government Institutions The Collector instructed officials to switch off lights, fans and air conditioners when they were not required. She said preventing the wastage of water and electricity must be considered a responsibility of every government employee. These measures should be implemented across all government offices, schools, residential educational institutions and welfare hostels. Special monitoring should be maintained over water consumption in hostels, and officials must ensure that borewell water is not used excessively. Officers were also instructed to take personal responsibility for preventing the wastage of electricity and water and issue clear directions to staff working under their supervision. Officials were also asked to inspect the quality of food and hygiene under the Mid-Day Meal Scheme. During visits to Anganwadi centres, they should ensure that children were receiving nutritious food regularly and that proper hygiene standards were being maintained. Any deficiencies identified during inspections must be addressed immediately. The Collector further instructed officers to review not only the programmes implemented by their respective departments but also the functioning of other government services in the villages they visit. They should interact with villagers, understand their problems and coordinate with the concerned departments to ensure timely solutions. Emphasising the importance of public service, she said officials should not confine themselves to their offices but remain accessible to the people and discharge their duties responsibly by making effective use of their experience. She warned that field inspection reports would be reviewed in future meetings and strict action would be taken against officials who failed to comply with the instructions. Additional Collector (Local Bodies) P. Madhusudhan Naik, Additional Collector (Revenue) J.L.B. Haripriya, District Revenue Officer A. Nirmala, Zilla Parishad Chief Executive Officer and in-charge District Panchayat Officer Venkat Reddy, District Rural Development Officer Narsimulu and other district officials attended the meeting.
