Panel on cards to erase 'colony' from names of habitations, govt records

Discussions under way at level of senior officials to formulate plan and guidelines

- K EZHILARASAN

AFTER Chief Minister MK Stalin made a socially significant announcement in April in the Assembly to remove the term 'colony' from the names of habitations of SC people in official records and public usage, the government machinery is now preparing for its implementation. The humongous exercise not only involves renaming lakhs of streets across TN, but also making changes in government records of individuals to capture those alterations.

Sources said discussions are under way at the level of senior officials in formulating a plan and guidelines. The government is inclining towards constituting a committee, which will include the ministers for municipal administration and rural development and senior officials from the departments concerned, to implement the work.

Deliberations are under way on whether to seek suggestions of names from people living in the respective localities through the staff at village panchayat, the block development officers and other revenue officials, who could then shortlist or choose one in accordance with guidelines to be suggested by the government.