By G Saravanan
Published in The New Indian Express, Chennai, on June 25, 2010:
CHENNAI: The alliance between the Congress and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) at Thiruvotriyur Municipality seems to be falling apart as Congress councillors have announced an agitation against the ruling DMK for failing to provide basic amenities in the western part of the civic body.
In fact, R Adilakshmi, a Congress councillor from ward 42 (falling on the western side of the municipality), set an ultimatum giving two weeks' time to the DMK-run civic body and its officials to take steps to improve basic amenities.
"Congress councillors will wait until July 10 for the official response to the issues raised in the past several months. If they fail to come up with a concrete solution to improve basic amenities here, we will resort to agitation to inform the people about the DMK's abysmal administration," Adilakshmi told `Express.'
A K Rangesh, Congress party's Tiruvallur district secretary, said, "With hundreds of residents, my family is also living in this western part of the municipality for the last four decades during which the issues pertaining to basic amenities have never been addressed fully.
In fact, R Adilakshmi, a Congress councillor from ward 42 (falling on the western side of the municipality), set an ultimatum giving two weeks' time to the DMK-run civic body and its officials to take steps to improve basic amenities.
"Congress councillors will wait until July 10 for the official response to the issues raised in the past several months. If they fail to come up with a concrete solution to improve basic amenities here, we will resort to agitation to inform the people about the DMK's abysmal administration," Adilakshmi told `Express.'
A K Rangesh, Congress party's Tiruvallur district secretary, said, "With hundreds of residents, my family is also living in this western part of the municipality for the last four decades during which the issues pertaining to basic amenities have never been addressed fully.
Most of the roads in these parts have not been relaid in the last 15 years and residents have been forced to wade through stagnant sewage on streets and roads. But the civic body only maintains the eastern part well because of the ruling (DMK) party's influential councillors, lamented Rangesh.
Besides, Congress councillors also alleged that the civic body has become a den of corruption with only the DMK-supported contractors being allowed to participate in tendering processes and favoured to receive work orders.
Of the 48 members in the civic body, the DMK has 31 councillors, the AIADMK has 11, the Congress has four, along with two CPM councillors. While one of the CPM councillors R Jayaraman is the chairman of the municipality, DMK is the ruling party here.
Refuting their claims, Kalaiselvan, Commissioner of the civic body, said, "There is no truth in their claims, as the municipality is executing several basic amenities works in particular areas in a phased manner."
He assured that in four months, all the works pertaining to the basic amenities in the western part would be completed.
When asked about the alleged corrupt practices in the tendering process, he said, "Ever since etendering was introduced here, there were no issues from the contractors and those who now make claims about corruption might be the affected parties who didn't get contracts."
Besides, Congress councillors also alleged that the civic body has become a den of corruption with only the DMK-supported contractors being allowed to participate in tendering processes and favoured to receive work orders.
Of the 48 members in the civic body, the DMK has 31 councillors, the AIADMK has 11, the Congress has four, along with two CPM councillors. While one of the CPM councillors R Jayaraman is the chairman of the municipality, DMK is the ruling party here.
Refuting their claims, Kalaiselvan, Commissioner of the civic body, said, "There is no truth in their claims, as the municipality is executing several basic amenities works in particular areas in a phased manner."
He assured that in four months, all the works pertaining to the basic amenities in the western part would be completed.
When asked about the alleged corrupt practices in the tendering process, he said, "Ever since etendering was introduced here, there were no issues from the contractors and those who now make claims about corruption might be the affected parties who didn't get contracts."
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