the goan I network
MARGAO
Even as the District Electoral Officer and South Returning Officer, Ajit Roy, has put in place the counting arrangements, besides parking and security arrangements at the Multipurpose Centre, Borda, questions are being raised whether the election authorities will maintain swachhata and sanitation at the centre.
The counting staff, agents of political parties and the media covering the counting of votes at the Multipurpose Centre had a bitter experience with sanitation and hygiene at the toilets. And, this question has assumed further significance this time given that the counting of votes will go into extra time and counting agents, staff and the media is expected to stay put at the centre for well over 15-16 hours.
A government official in the know said successive district collectors as well as returning officers had never paid attention to sanitation and hygiene in the toilets and wash rooms inside the counting centre. “We have always observed that the toilets and wash rooms inside the counting complex begin to stink around noon, with no provision put in place for cleaning, enveloping the entire counting centre with unbearable odour,” the official said.
Saying that the situation will only aggravate this time, with the counting process expected to drag on late into the evening, the official said the RO should ensure that adequate manpower is deployed to ensure that the toilets and washrooms are cleaned up from time to time.
With over 1,500 persons, including staff, counting agents, officials and the media expected to be huddled inside the complex from morning to evening, an official said the RO should not lose sight of the sanitation aspect when he and other senior officials are giving final touches for the counting, food, lunch, dinner, security and parking arrangements at the counting centre.
