The approaching Cyclone Ditwah has put Chennai's crucial election data collection and digitization drive in jeopardy, with just five days remaining for the completion deadline. The severe weather system threatens to derail the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) enumeration process currently underway across the city and its suburban areas.
Race Against Time and Weather
With the Election Commission yet to announce any extension, government officials are racing against both time and nature. The Regional Meteorological Centre has issued warnings of heavy rainfall during the weekend, which is expected to cause significant waterlogging in multiple parts of the city. This comes at the most critical phase of the data collection process.
Greater Chennai Corporation commissioner J Kumaragurubaran confirmed the immediate impact, stating, "We have organized camps across the city for collection and digitization today (Saturday). No camps have been scheduled for tomorrow due to rain." This suspension of Sunday operations could prove crucial given the tight deadline.
Current Progress Across Corporations
The latest statistics reveal varying levels of progress across different municipal corporations. In Chennai, only 54% of distributed forms have been successfully collected and digitized so far. The situation appears somewhat better in Tambaram Corporation, where approximately 70% of the 3.7 lakh forms have been collected, with nearly 60% digitization completed.
Tambaram Corporation Commissioner S Balachander provided encouraging context, noting that "during the last assembly elections, 2.47 lakh people from Tambaram voted the corporation has exceeded this number through form collection and digitization." He further revealed that 25-30% of residents on the list are either deceased or have relocated, highlighting the importance of accurate data verification.
In Avadi Corporation, the numbers show 2.9 lakh forms collected out of 4.5 lakh distributed, with at least 55% digitization achieved. Avadi Corporation commissioner R Saranya expressed concern about the weather impact, stating, "We have advised residents to stay at home this weekend considering safety measures. It will slow down the process."
Ground-Level Challenges Intensify
The cyclone threat has compounded existing challenges faced by election officials. K Manikandan, a booth-level officer in Tambaram, explained the behavioral patterns affecting the process: "Many residents want to wait till the last date. They understand the importance of submitting their enumeration forms, but don't want to come to the camps for submission."
Now, with heavy rainfall and waterlogging predicted for low-lying areas, both resident mobility and official door-to-door visits face significant delays. This dual challenge could severely impact the final completion rates.
Tamil Nadu Progressive Consumer Centre president T Sadagopan emphasized the importance of door-to-door verification, citing personal experience with data inaccuracies. "There are issues in removing names of deceased persons from the list. His father, who died in 2020, continues to appear on the rolls despite his submitting a death certificate. Door-to-door collection will make this better," he asserted.
As Chennai braces for Cyclone Ditwah's impact, the election machinery faces a critical test of completing the vital digitization process while ensuring public safety during severe weather conditions.
