Tamil Nadu - Madurai   

Corporation gets Rs.154.27-crore loan waiver

Staff Reporter

It includes Rs.82.34-crore principal and Rs.71.93-crore interest

MADURAI: The Madurai Corporation has benefited a loan waiver to the tune of Rs. 154.27 crore following the Tamil Nadu Government's announcement to waive urban local bodies' loan due to it, the Mayor, G. Thenmozhi, said.

Moving a resolution to thank the Chief Minister and the Minister for Local Administration, at the Corporation council meeting held here on Wednesday, she said it included Rs. 82.34 crore principal and Rs. 71.93 crore interest.

The deadline for regularising unauthorised plots has been extended up to December 31, 2007, she said.

The Mayor said that she had urged the State Government to bring education under the local bodies, and increase the sitting fee for councillors from the existing Rs. 550 to Rs. 3000 during a meeting on devolution of powers to local bodies held in Chennai last month.

Allegation

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam woman councillor (ward 53), G. Katharammal, alleged that the nurses of Corporation hospital had forcefully collected Rs. 40,000 (Rs. 200 each from 200 beneficiaries) to issue Rs. 1,000 monthly assistance to pregnant women.

The Commissioner, D.J. Dinakkaren, said that following widespread allegations, the powers of distributing assistance had been brought under the direct supervision of the Deputy Commissioner.

Many councillors supported Ms. Katharammal's contention.

She also complained of irregular water supply in Anupanadi areas.

Action sought

"While many hotels and lodges were getting purified water (through illegal sucking using motors) even for toilets, many households were not getting water for drinking. She sought strong action against water thieves.

She was supported by the DMK's S. Jagannathan and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) M. Ganesan. Recalling the council resolution passed during last regime, Mr. Jagannathan wanted the city engineers to insist all lodges and hotels to replace all their drinking water taps in the front side of their buildings.

The Superintending Engineer said that 18 motor pumps were seized in a few places in the recent past.

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