The Hindu           30.11.2011

Kancheepuram municipality to create new water source

Kancheepuram muncipal council meeting in progress on Tuesday. — Photo:B.Jothi Ramalingam

Kancheepuram Municipality Chairman Mythili Thirunavukkarasu has announced that a new drinking water source will be set up in Thenambakkam area to augment supply.

She was addressing the first meeting of the recently elected Council, on the Municipality premises on Tuesday.

Drinking water supply needs of the Municipality were being met now by drawing water from Thiruparkadal head-works situated in Vellore district and the Orikkai head-works situated on the southern outskirts of the town. Both these head-works were sunk on the Palar riverbed.

When she made this announcement, the ward 4 councillor Abusali of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam requested the civic body to ensure that water drawn from new source be supplied to the entire municipal area.

Deck for temple car

In another resolution, the civic body agreed to hand over 1,985 square-foot ‘Ayyasamy' park in ward number 4 to Sri Ekambareswarar temple for setting up a deck to park the temple car. It has also been decided to forward proposal in this regard to the State Government for its consent.

When a resolution pertaining to procurement of jetting-cum-suction machine and two de-silting machines at a cost of Rs.41 lakh and allocating Rs.14 lakh from the general fund for maintenance of the same through the contractor was taken up, the ward 37 councillor, M.Udhayakumar of DMK suggested that trained hands be absorbed as permanent staff to handle these machines instead of paying the contractor heavily.

He had also claimed that he had received information that diesel and oil expenses of a similar machine already owned by civic body were being met by the Municipality though a contractor had been engaged for operation and maintenance and he was liable to take care of these expenses.

Responding to his allegation, the Chairman said such ‘malpractices' would not be allowed to take place now.

When Mr.Udhayakumar insisted that the annual operation and maintenance portion of the resolution be set aside as it would help recruit new hands, the Commissioner, S.Mohan, said nothing could be done in this regard as this scheme drawn up the previous government envisaged handing over of operation and maintenance of the service to the private party.