Nomination of Tirunelveli and Tuticorin Mayors as AIADMK’s candidates for the Rajya Sabha polls in the middle of their 5-year tenure means that they will not be able to fulfil their poll promises.
When she assumed office, Vijila Sathyanand promised people that she would strive for a ‘clean and green Nellai’, towards which she took a few positive steps. She banned manufacture, sale and use of non-recyclable plastic products, particularly polythene bags and plastic cups.
The ban was initially enforced with much vigour, but lost steam eventually.
Also, Ms. Sathyanand’s promise of planting over 50,000 saplings all over the Corporation areas is yet to materialise. Though the government has given in principle nod for the Mayor’s assurances on bringing surface water from Ariyanayagipuram and the execution of the second phase of the Rs.490-crore underground drainage system in uncovered areas, work on the project is yet to commence. Ms. Sathyanand’s promise of generating power from the garbage is also yet to be realised.
On becoming Tuticorin Mayor, L. Sasikala Pushpa assured residents of the coastal town that ensuring regular and adequate drinking water supply was her priority. The Mayor’s assurance gave fresh hopes to the public who were then getting only a meagre quantity once a week. The situation is yet to improve.
Ms. Pushpa’s promises of maintenance of roads, including arterial stretches, removal of encroachments, early completion and commissioning of underground drainage scheme and measures to decongest the traffic have also not been fulfilled. The proposal to have an integrated bus stand for Tuticorin is yet to take off, though Chief Minister Jayalalithaa gave her nod for the new terminus.
While Ms. Sasikala was in favour of the expansion of the existing old bus stand, the then Collector Ashish Kumar identified a land opposite Fisheries College and Research Institute on the bypass road. The plan is still on paper.
