Despite many former municipalities being annexed to Madurai Corporation in 2011, the residents of wards coming under Corporation Zone V charged that they were yet to reap the benefits of the annexation. Basic amenities are still a dream, claimed the residents during the weekly grievances redress meet held on Tuesday.
The meeting was chaired by Mayor Indirani Ponvasanth, Corporation Commissioner Simranjeet Singh Kahlon, Deputy Mayor T. Nagarajan, Zone V Chairperson V. Suvitha.
Residents of Sowbhagya Nagar in Tirunagar along the northern side of Nilaiyur tank complained of waterlogging due to weak bunds. “We are forced to wade through knee-deep stagnant water in our area since November. We have been petitioning about the issue for months, yet nothing has happened,” charged D. Muthukumar, vice-president, Sowbhagya Nagar Residents’ Welfare Association.
While a few Muslim residents of Thiru Nagar said they have been requesting for a burial ground in ward 94 for more than 15 years. Secretary of Madurai Thiru Nagar Jama Masjid M. Nalla Mohamed said that despite identifying a land belonging to Corporation in their area spanning up to 10 cents on Vilacheri Road, no action has been taken. “Hence, we are forced to travel 10 kms away for the purpose,” he noted.
Accompanied by Congress Councillor of ward 94, R. Swetha, N.S. Anandan representing Mahalakshmi Weavers Colony complained that a few meat shop owners have been discarding the waste from their shops in the dumping bin near their area. “They should be discarding them in the Vellakal dumping yard as per rules. Though the Sanitary Inspector is aware of it, there is only silence over the issue,” he alleged. The SI was put at a tough spot when he was questioned by the Commissioner on details of conservancy workers and complaints on his lack of cooperation were aired by the Councillor.
Ms. Swetha also demanded the removal of encroachments on Indira Gandhi street, Radhakrishnan street, Vilacheri Main Road which is an important bus route. Complaints of stray cows loitering on the streets posing threat were raised by Mr. Anandan.
M. Veera Kannan, member of the ward committee only had to add to the complaint of how stray dogs menace was making streets unsafe. “Many stray dogs have bitten children and caused accidents in Joseph Nagar in ward 94. In the absence of streetlights and wild bushes along the roads, it is a nightmarish experience,” he charged.
Residents of Santhana Nagar in ward 78 petitioned the Mayor to set up a proper fence or compound wall for a park in their area to ensure safety. While residents of Iyyappanthangal in ward 99 requested for a park to be set up under the Namakku Naame Thittam.
Meanwhile, residents of Kennet Nagar, Yoga Vinayaga Nagar, Indian Nagar, Malligai Nagar have been waiting for the authorities to connect sewer lines from their houses. They also demanded for better roads and drinking water pipelines and UGD to be laid, declogging drainages, repairing broken bridges among the good number of residents who petitioned the same.
