The Hindu 23.09.2010
Last Council meeting held
Staff Reporter
| Endorses increase in ticket rates for cinemas in city |
Flash of memory: Outgoing members of the Kollam Corporation Council pose for a group photo after their last meeting on Wednesday.
KOLLAM: The last meeting of the current Kollam Corporation Council was held on Wednesday afternoon with 50 of the 52 members present.
The term of the Council saw two persons, both from the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), become Mayor. N. Padmalochanan was suspended from the CPI(M) earlier this year as part of a disciplinary action. He was succeeded by V. Rajendrababu.
The CPI(M) district leadership suspended two other councillors of the party — D. Radhakrishnan and T. Venugopal.
In the elections to the Council held in September 2005, the Left Democratic Front was voted to power with a clear majority — it won in 37 divisions.
Mr. Padmalochanan, representing the Kureepuzha (South) division, was elected the second Mayor of Kollam. He took charge in October.
Though marked by controversies, Mr. Padmalochanan’s term saw several development projects come up. These include the garbage treatment plant at Kureepuzha, the Asramam-Kappalandimukku four-lane road, the renovation of the Mahatma Gandhi Park on the Kollam beach, and the modernisation of several public markets.
On February 25 this year, Mr. Padmalochanan was suspended from the CPI(M) for inaugurating an organising committee office for a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh function here.
Following his suspension, Mr. Padmalochanan resigned as Mayor.
Mr. Rajendrababu, representing the Uliyakovil (East) division, was elected Mayor on March 16. He carried forward the development works and got many projects commissioned.
The Mayor’s post for the next term is reserved for a woman and the Council will have 55 members.
Wednesday’s meeting saw the Council endorse the increase in ticket rates for cinemas in the city. In anticipation of the endorsement, the Corporation had given permission to the cinemas to raise the rates from September 4. However, Mr. Radhakrishnan alleged that a section of the cinemas had increased the rates much before September 4. The Mayor assured Mr. Radhakrishnan that a probe would be held into the issue and action taken.
After the meeting, the councillors gathered for a group photo in front of the Corporation headquarters.
