The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Tirupur district shortly: Karunanidhi

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Sunday, Dec 30, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Tirupur district shortly: Karunanidhi

Staff Reporter

Announcement during the next Assembly session
Chief Minister inaugurates Tirupur Corporation, the seventh in State

TIRUPUR: A new district will be created in the next couple of months with Tirupur as its headquarters, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi announced here on Saturday.

Speaking after inaugurating the Tirupur Corporation, the seventh in the State, he said a formal announcement would be made during the next Assembly session. Before that the Government would obtain a report from the Commissioner of Revenue Administration.

He announced a Rs.5-crore grant to the local body for constructing a new office premises, road works, renovation of parks and to erect high-mast lights. Steps would be taken to construct storm water drains at a cost of Rs.40 crore. He announced extension of the underground drainage system to newly merged areas of the city.

Mr. Karunanidhi said Tirupur was a turning point in the history of the Dravidian movement. It was here that the founder president of the Dravidar Kazhagam, Periyar E.V. Ramasamy, and former Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai met for the first time in 1934. Referring to a news item published in The Hindu on Saturday about a former hosiery worker (present municipal chairman K. Selvaraj) becoming the new Mayor of the city, Mr. Karunanidhi said it was not a surprise.

“It is a routine affair (elevating grassroots level workers to higher posts) as far as the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam is concerned. We made a printing press worker, Arasu, the Mayor of Chennai as early as in 1959. As for the DMK or the Dravidian movement we are for it and it is our history,” he said.

Stating that the DMK was a movement for ordinary souls and downtrodden, Mr. Karunanidhi said the party had presented the post of Mayor to its dedicated worker. “There is nothing to be ashamed of having been a hosiery worker. I would feel elated if I were to become the Mayor of Tirupur.”

The Chief Minister handed over the Mayoral robe, sceptre and gold chain to Mr. Selvaraj, who will be elevated from January 1. Trade and industry bodies presented a 100-sovereign gold chain to the Mayor while the Coimbatore district DMK presented a three- kilo silver sceptre.

Stalin’s plea

Appealing to councillors and the administration of the Tirupur Corporation to strive for betterment of the city, Local Administration Minister M.K. Stalin said the Government would give more powers to local bodies soon. The upgraded local body would have more staff besides enhanced Government assistance.

He said upgrading Tirupur and Erode as Corporations was one of the achievements of DMK rule.

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