A meeting organised by the Corporation here on Monday evening to hear public opinion about new integrated bus stand to be constructed in Thoothukudi and construction plans for drainage channels to control flood witnessed scenes of pandemonium as DMK councillors raised their objections vociferously to the new bus stand proposal.
At the meeting presided over by Mayor A.P.R. Anthony Grace, the DMK councillors walked up to the stage at the meeting hall and appealed to the corporation authorities to stop organising such meetings. Subsequently, some traders also joined them and opposed the State government’s move to build the new bus stand.
Even before explaining the detailed project report of the integrated bus stand, the DMK councillors created a chaotic situation.
The State government had issued an order to construct the integrated bus stand opposite Fisheries College and Research Institute on 25 acres and already all 60 councillors signed to acknowledge it, the Mayor said.
The meeting was delayed by almost an hour as the DMK councillors did not allow it to commence.
Corporation Commissioner R. Poongodi Arumaikan asked the DMK councillors to take their seats and said it was not a council meeting.
Meanwhile, one of them used abusive language and the Commissioner appealed to the councillors not to use such words. The Mayor along with Deputy Mayor P. Xavier, Executive Engineer A. Lakshmanan and other Corporation staff came to shield the Commissioner.
Later, the DMK councillors pulled out the chairs and forced the attendants to exit the meeting hall.
Surprisingly, there was no police presence to control the situation.
. It was during 2011 that the State government announced the new bus stand proposal. Only the DMK councillors, some traders and women self-help group members were present at the meeting, with very few common people. Such a public hearing was not necessary at this point of time when all eyes were focused on the upcoming local body election, said a social activist, R. Manikandan.
The Commissioner said it was planned to construct drainage channels to carry flood water for a length of 173 km from various destinations to connect to thesea. To prevent floods, which haunted the public during November last in Thoothukudi following heavy rains in other parts of district, necessary efforts were being taken, she said. Most of the AIADMK councillors boycotted the meeting.
However, the meeting that went on for more than an hour concluded with the Corporation deciding to go ahead with the proposals.
