Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore   

Mayor vows to prevent fund misuse

Special Correspondent

`All schemes will be planned and implemented without political divide'

COIMBATORE: Mayor R. Venkatachalam vowed on Thursday to prevent irregularities in the use of funds meant for infrastructure in the city.

"We will keep a close watch on how the money is spent. All funds will be used only for the people's benefit," he told presspersons soon after assuming charge.

The Mayor was responding to a question on how he would ensure that more than Rs.1,300 crore sanctioned for the city under the Jawaharlal National Urban Renewal Mission was spent without any irregularity.

Charges

"We will be vigilant," he said when his attention was drawn to charges of misuse of funds often raised in the Council over the last ten years.

On complaints made so far, he said the cases would be studied for taking action.

Mr. Venkatachalam said he would also take efforts for the speedy implementation of the second phase of the Pilloor drinking water scheme for which funds would be provided under the mission.

First task

"The proposal was signed today as the first task after assuming charge. We are sending it to the Government for clearance," he said. "We will implement all the schemes under the mission within the specified period."

When asked whether he would be able take the entire Council along when his party had a strength of only eight (including himself), Mr. Venkatachalam said: "Every councillor has fought and won this election by promising to solve people's problems.

"Therefore, all of us will have to make a joint effort at solving the problems across the city."

Since the tasks on hand were the same for all, it would not be difficult to take the others along and render individual party strength irrelevant through joint efforts.

Problems

"I will ask each councillor about the problems in his or her ward and take action after discussions with the officials. Both the officials and councillors will be involved while planning and implementing schemes."

Development

The Mayor also said that Council meetings would discuss only development and efforts would be taken to ensure that politics did not dominate them.

"There are a lot of expectations from the people, especially in terms of basic amenities. Many good schemes are expected. We have to measure up to these expectations," he said.

The Mayor said he would explore the possibility of forming the Business Advisory Committee to oversee the conduct of members in the Council.

Mr. Venkatachalam said he received good news soon after assuming charge that as many as 460 temporary conservancy workers had been regularised and salaries fixed for them.

Garbage disposal

He said that this was likely to go a long way in meeting the need for more workers to keep the city clean. Garbage disposal and prevention of mosquito breeding would also be accorded priority.

Overbridges

Mr. Venkatachalam also said that the civic body would take up the issue of delay in the work on the rail overbridges at Ondipudur and on Sungam Bypass Road (along Valankulam).

He said that efforts would be made for speedy completion.

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