The Times of India 29.01.2010
Councillors finally take to the microphone
CHENNAI: The corporation council meet on Thursday witnessed a positive change as several councillors, including first-timers who keep silent during debates, spoke out about civic woes and need for development in their wards.
It was only a week ago that The Times Of India reported large-scale absenteeism of councillors during discussions.
Kalavathi Srinivasan of PMK spoke about the indifference of the administration towards her ward (100), Anbazhagan Nagar in Nungambakkam zone. She said the authorities could have merged four noon meal centres which had only seven children enrolled, to pave way for a ration shop, when there was no such facility in the ward. The officials overlooked a dilapidated old structure and a multi-purpose hall that has been lying locked for more than three years. "The ward has only streets, but no fogging operations are taken up here," she said.
Several councillors alleged that maintenance works were not carried out in their wards and the funding under the local area development (LAD) scheme was not utilised properly. K Armstrong, who absented himself from the council for more than a year said that the officials failed to avail of his Rs 25 lakh under LAD till date.
CPI member S Meena said there was no coordination between the utility agencies, and called for a coordination meeting. She said a proposal to lay a road under the centre's flagship programme JNNURM was dropped after work orders were issued. "Unexpectedly, TNEB came up with its cable laying work. Also, Metrowater has plans to cut roads frequently," she complained.
Bhuvaneswari Sankar, the lone independent councillor, urged the local body to set up an election office in all the 155 wards, so that electors' photo identity card could be taken throughout the year along with changes in the electoral roll. K Kirubakaran of ward 16 lamented the inordinate delay in building a flyover connecting Cochraine Basin Road and Kathivakkam High Road.
The active debate prompted Mayor M Subramanian to comment how a newspaper report has spurred the councillors to hold the microphone.
Responding to opposition floor leader Saidai P Ravi, Subramanian said finalisation of contractors for works on storm water drains and 16 canals under JNNURM costing Rs 814.88 crore would be decided in the next council meet. The mayor also asked the councillors to collect one lakh books from residents for the upcoming Anna centenary library.
It was only a week ago that The Times Of India reported large-scale absenteeism of councillors during discussions.
Kalavathi Srinivasan of PMK spoke about the indifference of the administration towards her ward (100), Anbazhagan Nagar in Nungambakkam zone. She said the authorities could have merged four noon meal centres which had only seven children enrolled, to pave way for a ration shop, when there was no such facility in the ward. The officials overlooked a dilapidated old structure and a multi-purpose hall that has been lying locked for more than three years. "The ward has only streets, but no fogging operations are taken up here," she said.
Several councillors alleged that maintenance works were not carried out in their wards and the funding under the local area development (LAD) scheme was not utilised properly. K Armstrong, who absented himself from the council for more than a year said that the officials failed to avail of his Rs 25 lakh under LAD till date.
CPI member S Meena said there was no coordination between the utility agencies, and called for a coordination meeting. She said a proposal to lay a road under the centre's flagship programme JNNURM was dropped after work orders were issued. "Unexpectedly, TNEB came up with its cable laying work. Also, Metrowater has plans to cut roads frequently," she complained.
Bhuvaneswari Sankar, the lone independent councillor, urged the local body to set up an election office in all the 155 wards, so that electors' photo identity card could be taken throughout the year along with changes in the electoral roll. K Kirubakaran of ward 16 lamented the inordinate delay in building a flyover connecting Cochraine Basin Road and Kathivakkam High Road.
The active debate prompted Mayor M Subramanian to comment how a newspaper report has spurred the councillors to hold the microphone.
Responding to opposition floor leader Saidai P Ravi, Subramanian said finalisation of contractors for works on storm water drains and 16 canals under JNNURM costing Rs 814.88 crore would be decided in the next council meet. The mayor also asked the councillors to collect one lakh books from residents for the upcoming Anna centenary library.
