The Hindu 07.05.2010
Councillors seek solutions to water crisis, Vacant Land Tax issue
Special Correspondent
| Plea for adequate water supply during Tamil conference |
Photo: S.Siva Saravanan 
HIGHLIGHTING CRISIS: All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam councillors staging a demonstration in front of the Coimbatore Corporation Council on Thursday over drinking water shortage in some parts of the city as Mayor R. Venkatachalam (right) walks towards the Council. -
COIMBATORE: The growing frustration over erratic supply of drinking water in the northern and eastern parts of the city took the form of a demonstration by members of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam at the Coimbatore Corporation on Thursday.
The councillors assembled in front of the Council, before the start of its Ordinary Meeting, with empty water pots to highlight the plight of a number of colonies.
Councillors K. Chandrasekaran (Ward 1) and D. Jothimani (Ward 2) lamented the erratic supply in their wards.
Water scarcity
During the meeting, Leader of the Opposition V.N. Udayakumar drew the attention of Mayor R. Venkatachalam and the officials to the water scarcity in some areas of the city.
“We are getting a number of complaints and residents in some areas have already staged demonstration,” he said.
All these sound very ominous for the World Classical Tamil Conference to be held here in June.
To overcome problems in the supply system, adequate supply in lorries must be ensured during the conference days, he said.
But, there were complaints of leakage in the Corporation's lorries.
Therefore, the civic body should explore the possibility of using those owned by private hospitals and educational institutions as these were said to be in good condition.
The Mayor said all necessary arrangements would be made to ensure there was no drinking water crisis in the city during the conference.
Corporation North Zone Chairman and Communist Party of India (Marxist) member C. Padmanabhan said that though the civic body claimed that alternate day supply was being made across the city, many areas in the north and east zone got water only once in five or even 10 days.
“The water situation is very bad. The Corporation must discuss this with the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board to identify the hurdles to normal supply,” he said.
The issue that saw all the parties closing ranks was the circular from the Directorate of Municipal Administration on the Vacant Land Tax.
Instead of solving a problem, the circular only worsened it by suggesting that one set or rates could be applied for 12 half-yearly instalments of the tax and another rate for the 13 {+t} {+h} one.
Resolution
The councillors wanted the Corporation to convey to the department in the form of a resolution of the Council, the resentment among the elected representatives over the circular.
Health Committee Chairman P. Nachimuthu wanted to know the tax was not collected on the basis of the rates fixed by the Council earlier.
The rates were arrived at in order to lessen the burden on the people. The circular sought to reverse that, he said.
Mr. Padmanabhan, K. Purushothaman (Communist Party of India), P. Rajkumar (AIADMK) and West Zone Chairman V.P. Selvaraj (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) took objection to the Council not being informed of the circular.
As the resistance to the circular grew stronger, Deputy Commissioner V. Shanta told the agitated members that a detailed discussion could be held later to arrive at a decision on the tax.
The Mayor said the issue could be discussed at an all-party meeting and also the meeting of the Finance and Taxation Committee.
