The Hindu 01.12.2010
Unfit tenements, say Opposition councillors and stage walkout
Staff Reporter
PHOTO: S.SIVA SARAVANAN 
Protest: Opposition councillors staging a walkout from the Coimbatore Corporation Council on Tuesday over the allotment of tenements for slum dwellers at Ammankulam. –
COIMBATORE: Opposition Councillors walked out of the Coimbatore Corporation Council on Tuesday, protesting against the decision to forward the list of eligible families to the Slum Clearance Board for allotment of flats at Ammankulam on the ground that the structure was still unfit for occupation.
Decision
The Opposition said it was objecting to the Corporation's decision in the light of a couple of apartments sinking when they were under construction at Ammankulam a few months ago.
Members of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), the Communist Party of India, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Desiya Murpoku Dravida Kazhagam cited irregularities in the construction and “cover-up regarding the structural stability” as the reasons for protest.
P. Rajkumar, AIADMK Councillor, said the civic body would be responsible if anything untoward happened after the allotment of flats to the beneficiaries.
He suggested that the Council withhold the list of beneficiaries only as far as Ammankulam tenements was concerned and go ahead with the Ukkadam tenements.
Since the sinking of the tenements, the Corporation had been hesitant to convene a special sitting as demanded by many Councillors, he said and demanded that a sitting be held at the earliest.
The Councillors' anger had to do with the resolution the civic body tabled at the meeting. It said the list of people displaced during the removal of encroachments along Sanganur Canal, Ammankulam, Muthannankulam, Periyakulam and Valankulam and laying of roads at the time of the World Classical Tamil Conference was being placed before the Council for approval.
It also sought the Council's approval for receiving the margin money from the 3,840 beneficiaries for securing the Central and State government grant and also letting the Slum Clearance Board allot the flats.
Opinion
Corporation Commissioner Anshul Mishra clarified that expert opinion was being sought to assess the safety of the tenements.
Only in the event of the flats being found safe, would the Corporation help the beneficiaries occupy the flats. He appealed to the agitated Councillors to wait for the experts' report.
Earlier, while discussing civic issues, M.S. Velmurugan, Independent Councillor representing Ward 57, and Mayor R. Venkatachalam got into an argument that eventually led to the former's expulsion from the meeting and suspension for the next two.
Councillors spoke on the need for early completion of UGD work, repairing street lights, easy availability of swine flu vaccine, having basic amenities in all wards among other things.
