Tamil Nadu - Madurai   

AIADMK leader suspended from council meeting

— Photo: S. James

UNFAIR: Corporation council meeting in progress in Madurai on Tuesday.

MADURAI: All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader in the Corporation Council P. Salaimuthu was suspended from the Tuesday's council meeting for allegedly making a “derogatory” remark about the Chief Minister.

When the council met, Mr. Salimuthu moved a resolution to condemn the Mayor, G. Thenmozhi, for “allocating shops in the new central vegetable market to Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam councillors and party men and Congress councillors”.

The Mayor countered him by saying that Mr. Salaimuthu was “regularly talking to Union Minister M.K. Alagiri on somebody's phone.” While refuting the allegation, he made a remark on the Chief Minister following which DMK councillors sprang on their feet in protest.

After heated arguments for sometime, the AIADMK members walked out of the hall. Meanwhile, as requested by Deputy Mayor P.M. Mannan, the Mayor ordered Mr. Salaimuthu's suspension from the meeting for the day.

Later, the AIADMK members forced their entry into the hall resisting the corporation guards attempt to prevent them.

Mr. Salaimuthu said he would file a defamation suit, if the Mayor did not produce evidence for her allegation that he had spoken to the Union Minister. However, he left the hall after he was heckled by the DMK councillors.

Speaking on the occasion, Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader M. Ganesan wanted the Mayor to meet the Chief Minister, seeking special funds for the development of the city. Commissioner S. Sebastine said the Corporation had got Rs. 25 crore from the State.

Mr. Ganesan wanted the council to resolve that the names of streets and name boards of commercial establishments to be written in Tamil to commemorate World Classical Tamil conference.

The CPI (M) members staged a walk protesting against “swindling of Corporation wealth by the ruling partymen” and preventing the opposition party from airing their views.

To a question from Congress leader Subburam, Chief Engineer K. Sakthivel said that the Dindigul Road would be widened from Kumaragam near Samayanallur up to Fatima College.

It would be four-laned between the college and Palanganatham. Beyond Palanganatham it would be widened up to Kappalur. The works would be implemented by the Highways Department, Mr. Sakthivel said.

East Zone Chairman, V.K. Gurusamy, alleged that the Corporation officials had caused huge revenue loss to the local body by not collecting vacant land tax and collecting merely Rs. 5,000 for underground drainage deposit for a multi-storey apartment under construction in his zone.

He sought the Mayor to review all the permissions given to all apartments to find out whether there was any irregularity.

Few councillors complained of sewage mixing with drinking water supplied through pipeline.

The Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam members walked out protesting against “indifferent” attitude of the administration.

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