CHENNAI: After opposition, the State government has removed the special petition drop box placed outside the State Secretariat earlier this month, as a majority of the public preferred submitting their grievances directly to officials at the Chief Minister's Special Cell rather than using the external facility.
The Chief Minister's Special Cell, functioning at the Secretariat, receives thousands of petitions from across Tamil Nadu on issues including employment, drinking water supply, road infrastructure, educational assistance and welfare schemes.
With the number of visitors steadily increasing, the government introduced a special petition drop box outside the Secretariat premises on June 2 to facilitate the submission of grievances and reduce crowding inside the office complex.
Officials had then stated that the initiative aimed to ensure quicker collection and systematic processing of petitions. Members of the public were allowed to deposit petitions directly in the box, while those wishing to meet officials in person were permitted to continue submitting representations at the Special Cell office.
"All petitions received through the system would be properly documented and forwarded to the respective departments for action," officials had said at the time of introducing the arrangement.
However, sources said the special drop box failed to receive the expected public response. Most visitors reportedly preferred handing over their petitions directly to officials, believing that personal submission would ensure better attention to their grievances.
Following the poor response, the government removed the special petition drop box outside the Secretariat on Monday.
Officials said the existing system of receiving petitions directly at the Chief Minister's Special Cell within the Secretariat would continue as usual.