Chairperson of Zone 1 in Madurai Corporation, K. Rajapandian, walked out of the council meeting held in Madurai on Wednesday. He was protesting against the disrespect shown to zonal chairpersons and, according to him, their lack of powers.
This is the first time that a ruling All India Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) councillor has openly protested against the administration, though it is not new for AIADMK councillors to complain about the civic body.
Mr. Rajapandian read out a charge-sheet against the Corporation administration before walking out amidst loud ridicule by the opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam members.
“Only 10 per cent of the works promised have been carried out. The promise of providing Rs. 5 lakh for development work to each ward was yet to become a reality. So is the decision of constructing office buildings for councillors,” he contended.
The Corporation’s pet scheme of “Makkalai Thedi Maanagaratchi’ has failed to evoke any positive response. Instead, the officials should resume the old practice of grievance redressal meetings at the zonal offices, he added.
“The e-planning scheme (that allowed residents to apply online seeking building plan approval) was cumbersome. People were made to pay more. Please don’t make the people run from pillar to post,” he pleaded.
Mr. Rajapandian complained that the administration did not bother to inform the council about the reasons behind the suspension of an Assistant Engineer and a clerk in his ward and the subsequent revocation.
The zonal chairperson said that he did not get any answer from the Assistant Commissioner and the Executive Engineer concerned on why the drainage channel in front of Victoria Edward Hall near Periyar Bus Stand had been dug up and left exposed for months causing inconvenience to the public.
He charged the Mayor with failing to bring out the corruption charges against the 15-year rule of the DMK in the Corporation though this had been one of his election promises.
