The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Municipal chairman threatens hunger strike

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Sep 07, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Municipal chairman threatens hunger strike

T. Madhavan

Angered by the decision to cancel tenders Other councillors want the road laying works to go ahead as scheduled

TAMBARAM : The Chairman of Maraimalai Nagar Municipality, M. Gopikannan, has threatened to go on a hunger strike in protest against Municipal officials, who he alleged were stopping developmental works taken up by the elected body.

Councillors belonging to the AIADMK, who are a majority in the elected body, including Mr. Gopikannan staged a protest on Tuesday against the Municipal Commissioner's reported decision to cancel tenders for road construction.

According to Mr. Gopikannan, resolutions were passed two months ago to lay some of the important roads like Anna Salai, Pavendhar Salai and Tiruvalluvar Salai. Administrative sanction was obtained and estimates were prepared to carry on the road laying works. The tenders were scheduled for calling on Thursday.

"Suddenly the Municipal Commissioner, Mr Chandrasekar cancelled the tenders under the influence of the PMK and DMK functionaries," Mr. Gopikannan alleged.

"An urgent meeting was convened on Tuesday to discuss the issue, in which the Commissioner could not convince me or the councillors about why the cancellation was done," he added.

When the DMK councillor, Shanmugam backed the official saying that instead of tarred roads, concrete roads would be laid on Tiruvallvur Salai and Anna Salai, the AIADMK councillors were quick to protest.

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