The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Coimbatore News : Far below expectations: Opposition

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 16, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore

Far below expectations: Opposition

By Our Staff Reporter

COIMBATORE, MARCH 15 . After an unusually low-key debate, the Coimbatore Corporation's budget for 2005-06 was passed in the Council today. But the Opposition members observed that the budget fell well below the expectations of the people.

The Opposition's despondency - that criticism will not have any positive impact - was manifest in the normally articulate C. Padmanabhan of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) keeping off the debate.

When his turn to speak was announced by the Mayor, T. Malaravan, the CPI(M) member quietly passed on the opportunity to his party colleague. Later, Mr. Padmanabhan said: "I see no point in speaking (during the debate). When I am certain that expressing my anguish will bring no change to the situation, why should I waste my breath."

Hails proposal

The lone strain of appreciation from the Opposition came, surprisingly, from a Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) councillor, A. Nandakumar. He welcomed the proposed terminus for omni buses in his ward (number 30) that now witnessed chaos on the main roads due to parking of the buses in front of the operators' offices.

Predictably, the DMK set the tone for the assault on the budget. It laid a virtual charge sheet against the Corporation, prepared by the indisposed Leader of the Opposition, K. P. Jagannathan (DMK) and read out by his party councillor, P. S. Selvarajan.

The 10-page reaction to the budget assailed the civic body for poor development, shoddy waste management, Vacant Land Tax and for not addressing various problems across the city.

The Indian Union Muslim League's Mohammed Rafeeq observed that even the covers of the budget remained the same, symbolising the dearth of fresh initiatives inside. As for the subway proposed at Ukkadam, he said: "Please clarify when it will be completed because the one proposed last year for Gandhipuram is yet to take off."

The Communist Party of India's R. Devaraj noted that there was nothing in the budget that assured basic amenities to the people who paid taxes to the Corporation. To the claim that it was a tax-free budget, he asked: "Is there a guarantee that there will not be any tax hike later?"

The Mayor intervened to point out that the Corporation did not want to hike taxes but would increase the revenue by bringing more properties within the tax net. The Corporation would cover the non-assessed buildings for tax and improve collection of water charges, all at the existing rates. He rejected Mr. Devaraj's charge of a conspiracy to inflict a heavy financial burden on the people.

Allocation "poor"

Mr. Krisnaswamy of the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam regretted the "poor" allocation for education and accused the Corporation of leaving out key development schemes evolved for the city by the Local Planning Authority.

The Congress Councillor, `Colony' R. Venkatachalam, likened the budget to a film with a beaten track. "All the items on a showcase have been wiped clean and put back for display," he said to point out that the budget had more of old schemes.

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