The Hindu 13.11.2014
Stormy start for Mayor Rajkumar
The photograph of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa hung over the
Mayor’s chair during the council meeting of the Coimbatore Corporation
held on Wednesday. (top) DMK councillors arguing with the police after
being denied entry into the meeting for demanding that the picture of
their leaderM. Karunanidhi also be hung on the council hall.—PHOTOs: S.
SIVA SARAVANAN
It was a stormy start for Mayor P. Rajkumar as heated
arguments were witnessed during the first urgent council meeting
convened after his election. The council met on Wednesday.
The
police prevented councillors belonging to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
from entering the council hall after they insisted that the picture of
their party leader M. Karunanidhi also be placed in the hall pointing
out to the presence of the portrait of former Chief Minister
Jayalalithaa.
The police held discussions with DMK
councillor Meena Loganathan and others to dissuade them from bringing
the picture. However, the attempt failed and a scuffle broke out between
the 10 DMK councillors and the police personnel, who were deployed in
strength, outside the meeting hall.
They raised slogans against the All India Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Government and the police.
Later,
they waited outside the hall and attempted to talk to the Mayor after
he came out at the end of the meeting. However, Mr. Rajkumar left
quickly.
Councillor V. Ramamoorthy of the Communist
Party of India (Marxist), who represents Ward No: 42, staged a walkout
alleging that the Corporation officials were not according councillors
due respect.
He also called for scrapping the
existing system of sanctioning new water connections as it had resulted
in a pending list of nearly 10,000 and called for refunding the ‘excess
amount’ collected.
Resolutions passed
The
ruling party, which has 80 members in the 100-strong council, had
little trouble in passing a total of 59 resolutions during the meeting.
The
council allotted Rs. 1 crore to Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage
Board for preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for extending the
underground drainage to the newly-added areas. It also approved the
allocation of Rs. 4.95 lakh for renovating the Ukkadam Tank, which
spanned 1.4 km till Karumbukadai.
The funds would be used to strengthen the bunds, erect fencing and a pathway along the banks.
The
civic body also resolved to send a proposal for creating a tunnel in
Periyakumbai and Kattan Hills for laying pipelines at the cost of Rs.
130 crore under the Pilloor Phase II water supply scheme as part of the
Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.
It
also resolved to implement the scheme with Central subsidy and State
funding. In the event of the cost escalation, the Corporation would meet
the difference.
The council also resolved to take over the 50 to 100 tonne manure generating vermin-compost unit.
Fresh tender
It also planned to renovate it through a fresh tender and to operate the unit.
Further,
a resolution was passed deciding to go for DPR to renovate the
Sanganoor Canal at a cost of Rs. 395 crore besides another DPR for
constructing and maintaining storm water drains.
Several
councillors raised issues pertaining to issual of new water
connections, storm water drainage and anti-dengue operations.
Deputy Mayor S. Leelavathi Unni, Corporation Commissioner S. Ganesh and other Corporation officials were present.
