Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Oct 10: Despite the extension of the deadline for the Social and Educational Survey until October 18, the data collection in Mangaluru City Corporation limits continues at a sluggish pace.

As of Thursday night, data from about 75 percent of households in Dakshina Kannada district had been collected, while the coverage within the city corporation stood at only 62 percent. Identifying the remaining households yet to be surveyed has become a major challenge for enumerators.

Enumerators reported several challenges during the social and educational survey in Mangaluru city. In some apartment complexes with 40–50 houses, all electricity meters were located in one area, and MESCOM staff had attached UH IDs near these meters, making it difficult to identify which ID belonged to which house. Some residents were unaware of their RR numbers linked to their electricity connections, and enumerators felt it would have been helpful if family member details had been included on the UH identification slips.

Several families reportedly lacked ration cards or Aadhaar numbers. Many houses had only elderly residents who were unable to answer most of the survey questions, while their family members lived abroad or in other towns, making it difficult to obtain details promptly. Some residents were also unwilling to allow enumerators inside their premises.

A number of houses were found unoccupied, and some were rented by people from northern India who were reluctant to share information. Enumerators had to visit such houses multiple times and, if doors remained locked, photograph them for record purposes.

Officials from the deputy commissioner’s office stated that survey work within city limits had faced challenges, but efforts were being made to identify and resolve them.