The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Madurai News : Council meeting: officials hauled over the coals

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 28, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Madurai

Council meeting: officials hauled over the coals

Staff Reporter

Members rake up many issues

MADURAI: The Corporation authorities came in for sharp criticism from across political parties at the council meeting here on Thursday for their “maladministration.”

Mayor G. Thenmozhi, who came down heavily on Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader M. Ganesan for his comment on the “ineffective” functioning, would have least expected that her own party member, V.K. Gurusamy, would fire salvos at the administration.

“I don’t know what is happening in the Corporation. How many times have I asked you to re-construct the noon meal centre (that is in a dilapidated condition)? Are you waiting for the children to be killed?” were a series of questions posed by the East Zone Chairman, Mr. Gurusamy.

Taken aback

The Mayor, Deputy Mayor P.M. Mannan and Commissioner D.J. Dhinakaran were obviously taken aback by the volley of questions. Without any let up in the tempo, Mr. Gurusamy went on to say, “How many more properties belonging to the Corporation will be transferred to individuals? Do you think that you cannot be questioned?”

He listed out some of the works that had not been implemented despite his repeated requests. When he raked up the issue of a land, proposed for constructing a sports complex and to be named after former Deputy Mayor D. Chinnasamy, which had been taken over by an individual, councillors from all parties lashed out the officials’ “lackadaisical attitude.”

“It is a shame that the Corporation administration cannot protect its own properties,” said North Zone Chairman K. Esakkimuthu. Another DMK councillor D. C. Naganathan complained that at least in two cases courts had given ex parte verdicts against the Corporation. While the CPI (M) condemned it, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader P. Salaimuthu suggested appointment of a senior counsel to retrieve the land.

The Deputy Mayor himself was angered when the official said that efforts were taken to legally win over the case. “This is what you have been saying for the last six months,” he said.

After a brief period, it was the turn of DMK councillor G. Kaderammal to launch a tirade against the officials. “In every other council meeting, I have been raising the drinking water problem in my ward. I have taken up it with the zonal chairman, with the Mayor… Will you (officials) not respect even their words,” she said.

Mayor’s turn

Ms. Thenmozhi, who got angry at the non-cooperation from officials, asked one of the engineers as to how many times should she tell them. “Do you forget it immediately?” she said.

During a discussion on segregation of domestic waste at source, the Mayor wanted to know whether the dust bins (two for each house) had been distributed to all houses in the south zone. When south zone Assistant Commissioner A. Devadoss said that it had reached all the households in the zone, little would he have expected that the Mayor herself would complain that the bins had not been given to her residence.

Congress leader M. Subburam complained about the poor upkeep and growing encroachments at Mattuthavani Integrated Bus Stand.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu