Ensure speedy clearance of proposals: councillors

Priority to issues requiring immediate attention: Commissioner

DMK members creating a flutter at the corporation council meeting inthe city on Monday. Photo: G. Moorthy

A number of councillors demanded immediate clearance for the pending estimates submitted for work to be carried out in their wards so that they are not withheld due to general elections.

At the Corporation council meeting here on Monday, councillor M. Chellam of ward 63 requested the Corporation Commissioner Kiran Gurrala to ensure speedy clearance of proposals submitted since all works to be carried out in the wards would have to be stopped a month before the elections.

Mr. Gurrala said that while the Corporation had been clearing files on time, it wasn’t possible to clear every proposal that had been submitted.

“Issues that require immediate attention in every ward will be prioritised and cleared,” he said.

Zonal chairmen once again asked for powers to be allotted to them to pass estimates and allocate budgets for infrastructure development in their wards ranging within the budgets of Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 5 lakh.

North Zone Chairman K. Jayavel explained that they should be granted the provision to allocate and handle estimates up to Rs. 5 lakh due to the fact that his ward paid at least Rs.3 crore in tax.

Reacting to this, the Deputy Commissioner K. Leela said that at least 49 per cent of the revenue from each ward was used to pay the people employed there.

“As is the practice, Councillors and Zonal Chairmen can frame proposals and submit estimates to the Commissioner who will approve and allocate funds,” she asserted.

Resolutions passed included the purchase of a new mortuary van at a cost of Rs.10 lakh for the destitute and the homeless who live on the roadside for a proper cremation.

For the proper functioning and maintenance of streetlights, including the newly added areas, a resolution concerning the additional postings to be created was passed.

Protesting against a resolution which was read out at the start of the meeting condemning the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president M. Karunandhi, the DMK councillors created a ruckus and walked out of the council hall after an altercation with the AIADMK councillors.