The six MLAs of DMK party urged Collector R. Nanthagopal to instruct officials to carry out development works in all the constituencies in an unbiased way.
Led by senior party leader and Katpadi MLA Durai Murugan, the team met the Collector on Monday.
Of the 13 constituencies in the district, the DMK won in six constituencies in the Assembly elections. MLAs P. Karthikeyan (Vellore constituency), R. Gandhi (Ranipet), A.P. Nandhakumar (Anaicut), A. Nallathambi (Tirupattur) and J.L. Eswarappan (Arcot) were present during the occasion.
“We have asked the Collector to instruct officials such as block development officers and commissioners of local bodies to take up development works in all constituencies in an unbiased manner.
The officials should treat MLAs of the ruling party and opposition party without any bias,” Mr. Durai Murugan told reporters.
He said they would take part in all meetings unlike during the last five years when he was the sole MLA in the district. “We have asked the Collector to convene a meeting of the District Development Council headed by the Member of Parliament. We will take part and discuss the problems,” he added.
Drinking water supply
“We will have to ensure that residents get proper drinking water supply. A number of pipelines laid for the Combined Water Supply Scheme with river Cauvery as source are broken. Though the pipelines have been laid till Arakkonam, several villages enroute are yet to get the water supply,” he said.
He added that a meeting should be conducted with Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board officials to take measures to cover the areas that are yet to get water supply under the scheme.
Check dams across Palar
Mr. Durai Murugan also said that they would emphasise to the government the need to construct check dams across Palar river to improve ground water table in the district.
He noted that earlier, the DMK government had constructed a check dam near Kaveripakkam and it stored water for a depth of five feet.
He pointed out that generating employment opportunities for rural youth was crucial. For this, the government should establish SIPCOT-II in Vellore. Already, over 1,000 acres had been acquired in Lalapet but no work was taken up for the industrial estate, he added.
Sugar mills
Another area of priority was proper functioning of the cooperative sugar mills. There are three cooperative sugar mills in the district. “Payment is still pending for sugarcane farmers. The mills have to pay Rs. 350 per tonne for the sugarcane supplied during 2014-2015. I will be visiting the Vellore sugar mill to look into its functioning and financial problems on Tuesday,” he added.
Durai Murugan stressed on generating employment opportunity for youth
