An AIADMK councillor of Tirunelveli Corporation on Monday submitted a petition to the Collector detailing the civic issues haunting the residents of her ward.
In her petition, S. Amudha, councillor of ward 31 in Melapalayam Zone, arrived at the Collectorate with a group of people carrying empty pots. She said residents of Santhamurthy Street were waiting to get drinking water for more than a week. The supply was stopped for maintenance work following complaints of contamination of drinking water supplied to residents.
The drinking water supply should be resumed immediately, the councillor added.
Similarly, drinking water supply to residents of Mariamman Temple Street, Muththamizh Nagar, Tholkaappiyar Street, Muppidathi Amman Temple Street, Vinayagar Temple Street and Agraharam Street was also erratic.
Since the defunct motor in the public bathroom in Tholkaappiyar Street was yet to be repaired, the public could not use it. Streetlights should be fitted on Santhamurthy Cross Street, Pandithurai Street in Kulavanigarpuram, Vinayagar Temple Street in Mela Kulavanigarpuram and Muththamizh Nagar, said Ms. Amudha, who also forwarded her petition to the Chief Minister’s Special Cell.
“As I belong to the AIADMK, the DMK Mayor-led Corporation administration refuses to fulfill our genuine demands. Since neither the Mayor nor the officials concentrate on addressing the civic issues, I submitted the petition to the Collector seeking his intervention to solve the problems in my ward,” Ms. Amudha said.
Corporation officials said more than 30 files pertaining to awarding small contracts, each worth ₹2 lakh to ₹5 lakh, were pending with Mayor P.M. Saravanan for his consent. “The inexplicable delay, being caused for obvious reasons, has triggered the public anger against us,” said a senior Corporation official.
A contractor here alleged that 15% commission was being demanded for awarding every small work after the DMK Mayor assumed office.
Mr. Saravanan denied the charges against him categorically. “I was in the office today [Monday] till 3.30 p.m. to clear all files and there is no question of delaying any development work to be executed within the Corporation for any reason,” he said.
He also denied that he demanded any ‘commission’ for awarding any contract. “I will never demand commission for executing any work within the Corporation”.
A group of people from Ramaiyanpatti Puthu Colony also submitted a petition for drinking water.
Plea for basic amenities
Residents of Alavanthankulam came to the Tirunelveli collectorate to submit a petition seeking basic amenities. | Photo Credit: A. SHAIKMOHIDEEN
Seeking free house sites, drinking water, electricity and other basic amenities to Puthirai Vannar community families living in Alavanthaankulam village under Maanur taluk, members of Poorviga Thamizhar Katchi submitted a petition to the Collector.
The petitioners said the below poverty line Puthirai Vannar community families living near Alavanthaankulam Bridge on government poramboke land had not been provided with housing, drinking water and electricity for the past 30 years.
Since they were not given community certificate, the children could continue their studies resulting in dropouts. Hence, the Collector should visit the neglected colony and provide them with basic amenities and the community certificate, said S. Balamurugan, Tirunelveli district secretary, Poorviga Thamizhar Katchi.
