Connectivity, security concerns spoil census start

Over 28,000 census workers start counting houses

KARACHI:

The rollout of the country's first digital census was marred by connectivity issues and malfunctioning devices, while census workers in some areas said they weren't provided adequate security in areas deemed sensitive.

The first three days of the census were allocated for house enumeration. Women enumerators said they had been assigned to 'sensitive' areas but were not provided adequate security.

There were also complaints over transport. As per the schedule, different centers have been set up in each district from where the enumerators were to be transported to their areas.

This resulted in the census exercise starting later in the day than scheduled in some areas.

Earlier in the day, the PBS had informed the Karachi commissioner that personnel of police, rangers and army would be deployed for security along with census staff.

Under the digital census, every structure will be geo-tagged. The door-to-door enumerators will ask questions from people and enter their responses in the software on their tablets. This would be uploaded - either in real time or when connectivity is available - to the main database.

Blocks

The population in Sindh has been broken into 43,838 census blocks in 30 districts of Sindh.

Karachi has over 10,700 such blocks. Each statistical block consists of 250 to 300 houses.

For the first time, the household census will collect information on income along with information on the type of disability and would also do a headcount of those who identify as transgenders.

According to the Federal Bureau of Statistics, 28,706 enumerators have been trained in digital census in Sindh. A little over 8,000 would be deployed in Karachi.

The enumerators would not require any kind of document from citizens.

Undocumented individuals including illegal immigrants and foreigners would be counted separately.

The PBS said that connectivity problems will not hinder the process as the enumerators would store the information on their tablets. The data would be entered in the central software as soon as internet facility is available.

Briefing

Earlier, Karachi Commissioner Muhammad Iqbal Memon review census arrangements. PBS Director Munawar Ali Ghanghro informed that the second phase would starting from March 4.

The enumerating process would continue till April 1.

A complaint centre has been set up in the commissioner's office and citizens could register their complaints by calling 1299. (With input from APP)

Coverage concern

The census staff in Diplo, a sub-district in Tharparkar, faced similar issues of connectivity. Swathes of Sindh's biggest, also suffers from lack of cellular coverage.

There were also problems with a cellular tower with Tharparkar deputy commissioner contacting relevant departments for its restoration.

Locals said that some villages had relocated to closer to the barrage for access to water and might not be counted in the census.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 2^nd, 2023.