New Delhi, Apr 24 (PTI) The Registrar General of India (RGI) has directed district magistrates and municipal commissioners to identify villages, habitations and communities vulnerable to “threats or intimidation” that could hamper the free conduct of the Census and ensure their coverage in the process.
Taking cognisance of the possibility that some areas could be left out of the Census due to inaccessibility or prevailing socio-economic realities, the RGI directed the authorities to do a vulnerability mapping of such areas.
It has asked officials to conduct the exercise revenue village-wise to “identify the villages/hamlets/habitats and segments of people vulnerable to any threat, intimidation or interference” with the free conduct of the Census.
The RGI also directed that no houselisting or housing census will be conducted in the areas under the sole occupation and control of Defence Services formations, Central Reserve Police Units, Border Security Force and similar military or para-military organisations.
“The PCOs would thereafter make all necessary arrangements for conduct of 2nd phase of the Census operations (Population Enumeration) in all such special charges. It is to be kept in mind that there shall be no Houselisting and Housing Census in such Special Charges,” it said.
A pan-India helpline number — 1855 — has also been launched for the Census.
RGI directed the authorities to identify the source of such threat or intimidation and the persons likely to spearhead such an offence of undue influence.
“While doing this exercise they shall take into account both past incidents and current apprehensions,” the directive said.
Officials have also been asked to identify a point of contact within vulnerable habitats or communities so that developments can be tracked constantly.
“The Charge Officer and Principal Census Officer (PCO) should compile all such information and finalise the vulnerability mapping for the entire charge/district respectively,” it said.
The RGI directed that Charge Officers and PCOs should make special arrangements to ensure a free and fair Census in vulnerable areas. They have been asked to undertake visits to such locations, meet communities and explain the purpose and arrangements of the Census.
“Every District would have people who are difficult to be enumerated. Such groups would include people who are highly mobile/ floating population like migrant labour, those engaged in occupations like herding of sheep/ cattle and such other Nomadic Tribes, gatherers of forest produce, seafarers who are likely to be absent during the entire period of enumeration, homeless people, street children, people living in areas affected by some form of social/political tension etc,” it said.
The PCO should ensure that such groups are enumerated without omission, the directive said and added that it must be ensured that if any population has now started living in the uninhabited villages of previous census then they are enumerated without omission.
The Census Commissioner also asked district intelligence units to remain alert on the issue and provide regular feedback to the PCO through the district superintendent of police.
The RGI also said the PCO and the district superintendent of police should hold a joint review and finalise a focused action plan to address potential threats or intimidation.
Officials have been asked to pay special attention to verify whether people from vulnerable habitats and communities are being properly enumerated.
“In case they find that some sections of the people are not being enumerated or that false information is being recorded or returned, they should immediately inform the Charge Officer/PCO,” the directive said.
It added that the Charge Officer and PCO should dispatch squads to visit such areas to ensure that there is no overt or covert hindrance to enumeration and closely monitor the situation.
“If any complaint is received or information gathered from any source about obstruction or threat to any section of the population, the same shall be enquired into by the local administration without delay,” it said.
The Census, the eighth since Independence, is being conducted in two phases – the first stage, known as house listing and housing census (HLO), and the second stage, the population census.
Field visits for the housing listing and housing census began on April 16 in several states and union territories. In this phase, enumerators have to list all structures, houses and households across the country to create a foundation for population enumeration.
The month-long exercise will be notified by each state and union territory between April 1 and September 30.
Field visits will be preceded by a 15-day window for self-enumeration, during which citizens can answer HLO phase questions through a portal and generate a special ID to be shared with enumerators during verification.
In a first, the exercise will be conducted entirely digitally, with enumerators using a dedicated mobile application to collect data.
During the housing listing operations, enumerators will physically visit each house and building and ask 33 questions regarding basic facilities in homes, details of the head of the household, such as name and sex, ownership status and other information.
The second phase of the Census – the population enumeration – will begin next year. PTI ABS AMJ AMJ
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