Corporation councillors are demanding respect from civic officials.
At the monthly council meeting held here on Friday, councillors belonging to the ruling AIADMK expressed anguish that some Corporation officials did not give councillors the respect due to them as elected representatives. They were particularly peeved with the behaviour of officials in the town planning wing.
West Zone chairman K.Rajapandian complained that his requests to trace the missing files in the engineering and town planning sections were not heeded.
North Zone chairman K. Jeyavel and South Zone chairman P.Salaimuthu complained they had the status of mere figureheads.
“We are here to represent people’s needs. But, when the Corporation officials do not bother to respect the post of a councillor, it is very painful,” Mr. Salaimuthu lamented. Mr.Jeyavel charged town planning officials with failure to discuss building plan approvals with councillors.
Town Planning Committee chairman and ward 52 councillor S. Rajalingam said the standing committee meetings were not conducted regularly and there was no official communication between the Corporation and the councillors.
Senior councillor S.T. Jeyabalan said that councillors were so vexed that they stopped visiting the town planning section.
CPI(M) councillor M.Chellam said the Corporation staff should support the councillors on important public issues related to drainage, streetlights, roads and health.
Mayor V.V.Rajan Chellappa scheduled a meeting with town planning officials for October 21 to discuss these issues and asked Chief Town Planning Officer M. Rakkappan to be present.
Meanwhile, councillors belonging to the opposition DMK continued with their boycott of the council meeting and walked out minutes after the proceedings began.
