The Tamil Nadu Assembly Estimates Committee focused on water bodies and difficulties faced by forest dwellers during its visit to Madurai on Wednesday.
Apart from a forest Department project at Veerapandi, other areas visited include Sathiyar Dam, where a Rs. 414-lakh tourism project has been proposed, and Vijayamangalam where a social forestry scheme is being implemented.
The committee also inspected the Sellur tank, which comes under the control of Water Resource Organisation of Public Works Department (PWD) and two road projects of the Rural Development Department.
Committee Chairman and AIADMK MLA from Bhavani, P.G. Narayanan, chaired a meeting later in the day, which was attended by officials from all departments. The committee members expressed concern over the 264 PWD vacancies in Madurai alone.
Committee member and AIADMK MLA from Andipatti, Thangatamilselvan, said that adequate maintenance of water bodies was essential to fulfil Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's promise to the farmers on a “second green revolution” and the PWD's role in this was vital.
Officials replied that while most of the posts must be filled by the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission , others must be cleared by the State Government.
When asked how Government schemes were being implemented with such vacancies, an official said that temporary workers were being engaged.
Puthiya Tamilagam president K. Krishnasamy (Ottapidaram MLA) warned that reservation system must be strictly adhered to while filling the vacancies. The Rural Department officials were also asked to ensure that hamlets with large populations from the weaker sections had adequate road connectivity.
R. Sundarrajan, DMDK MLA from Madurai Central Constituency, urged PWD and Corporation to desilt the channels flowing within the city, which, he said, had become infested with snakes and garbage and were posing a health hazard.
A Corporation official replied that while a huge sum had been allotted under the JNNURM, the local body was unable to meet its mandatory contribution of 30 per cent. A loan request had been sent to the State Government and works would begin once the loan was sanctioned.
Mr. Thangatamilselvan pointed out the Forest Department's refusal to permit roads to habitations that had been existing for over 50 years inside Reserve Areas. The Forest Department officials replied that one such request to cut live trees for a road was pending with the Central Empowered Committee constituted by the Supreme Court.
Other members also called for measures to protect farmers from attacks by forest animals, particularly wild pigs, which were damaging their crops.
Madurai MLAs M. Muthuramalingam (AIADMK - Thirumangalam), M.V. Karuppiah, (AIADMK – Sholavandan) and A.K.T. Raja, (DMDK – Thiruparankundram) also took part in the meeting along with M Dharmaraja, District Panchayat Council Chairman, K. Balasubramanian, Deputy Secretary of Petition Committee and G. Sakthivelu, Under Secretary (Questions).
