The Deccan Chronicle 22.09.2010
Ambattur councillors still on sit-in protestSept. 21: Councillors of Ambattur municipality cutting across party lines conducted a sit-in for the second consecutive day, alleging that the municipal officials are indifferent to civic problems.
Municipal chairman K.N. Sekar, who led the protest, said the public is suffering because of the callous attitude of officials.
“There is no transparency in collecting property tax arrears from the public and no proper system to evaluate tax,” the chairman alleged. Roads dug up to construct stormwater drains and to lay drinking water pipelines have been abandoned and pose a major threat to motorists, putting their lives at risk.
“When requests were made to repair the battered roads on a temporary basis, the municipal engineers refused to do it, citing high costs,” said Mr Sekar. The councillors also alleged that the civic projects were executed only in areas where top bureaucrats resided.
“Field engineers do not heed complaints of the public and even those complaints forwarded by the ward representatives are ignored,” said an AIADMK councillor. The zonal official, Mr Dhandapani, urged the elected representatives to call off the agitation, but they did not do so.
Councillors belonging to the CPIM, the AIADMK and the PMK took part in the agitation but those of the ruling DMK stayed away. The protesters had stayed overnight in the council hall.
