Municipal chairperson joins councillors in sit-in dharna

The civic body head tries to neutralise the agitation by blaming officials

The municipal council meeting held here on Friday witnessed an unprecedented situation as chairperson Meena Dev joined the Opposition councillors who were staging a sit-in dharna in the council hall. After observing silence for a minute to pay homage to 12-year-old Avinash from Kottar, whose vital organs have given a new lease of life to six persons after he was declared brain dead following a road accident at Parakkai Road intersection on August 18, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam councillor Udhayakumar commenced a sit-in dharna condemning collection of vacant land tax for plots measuring up to 2,400 square feet. He argued that the Municipality Act prohibited collection of vacant land tax for plots measuring up to 2,400 square feet.

Congress member Xavier joined the agitation, saying the administration was refusing to carry out any development work in his ward.

Interestingly, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam member Selwyn Kumar too joined them, saying Nagercoil Municipality had failed to relay the roads in the areas where underground drainage work had been completed.

Funds being wasted

Meanwhile, a group of AIADMK members, including Sahayaraj, Seenu, Sahaya Venice and Jayaraman, alleged that the municipality was wasting the funds being released by the State government for development works, and staged a walkout. “An attempt is being wantonly made by chairperson Meena Dev to tarnish the State government’s image in the view of the public,” said the foursome, who staged a demonstration in front the municipality administrative block after staging a walkout.

DMK member Azhagammal alleged that details of 78 development works, costing about Rs. 8 crore, for which tender had already been floated, had not been placed before the council for its nod. “I want to know about the officials who have failed to include such details in the agenda for today’s meting,” Ms. Azhagammal said.

Even as the sit-in dharna and demonstration by the councillors were gaining momentum, Ms. Meena Dev, in a bid to neutralise the agitation, too joined the protesting members along with 10 Bharatiya Janata Party members after putting the blame on officials.

“I’ve been forced to agitate as the officials refuse to cooperate with me in executing development works,” she said after joining the sit-in dharna that continued even after 6 p.m.