It is nearly a month since the mixer, grinder and fan meant for free distribution arrived at the Corporation elementary school in Saibaba Colony.
The freebies meant for nearly 2,500 beneficiaries of Ward 11 of the Coimbatore Corporation have been stored in seven classrooms.
Whether they will continue to remain in the room or be distributed to the beneficiaries is the big question that the Ward Councillor M. Ravindiraraj is looking to answer. And the key to the answer, he says, is with the Coimbatore North MLA T. Malaravan.
Mr. Ravindiraraj, a DMK Councillor who represents Ward 11, alleges that Mr. Malaravan was not allotting time to organise a function to distribute the freebies as he belongs to the opposition. Mr. Malaravan is a former Mayor of the Coimbatore Corporation and belongs to the AIADMK.
The Councillor says that the Revenue Department officials, who are supposed to distribute the freebies, are unable to proceed because of the lack of cooperation from the MLA. “They have expressed their helplessness.”
Having hit a roadblock, the Councillor approached the District Collector M. Karunagaran, who promised to arrange for freebie distribution within a couple of days. This was at least a week ago.
What also worries the Councillor is that the rooms where the freebies have been stored will not be ready for the students when they return to school in the first week of June. The school has limited rooms for the students because a few rooms have been used for storing the freebies, to accommodate the nearby high school students and also run a Corporation dispensary. The neighbouring high school is short of space and the dispensary is under construction and is temporarily functioning at the school, Mr. Ravindiraraj explains. He adds that the distribution has happened in Wards represented by AIADMK councillors, though they got allotment orders much later than his.
Assembly proceedings
In response, Mr. Malaravan says that he could not give dates because of Assembly proceedings in Chennai. Asked if he would give dates now, he responded that he was on his way to Pudukottai to campaign in the by-elections there and would give dates thereafter. Pudukottai Assembly Constituency goes to polls on June 12.
