All is set for the assumption of office for the newly elected representatives of the Tiruchi Corporation on Tuesday.
Challenges await the newly elected councillors, especially those from the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, which has secured a majority in the council, as several pressing civic problems remains unsolved in the city.
A majority of the 65 councillors are new faces, with little experience and understanding of civic issues facing the city. The AIADMK, the single largest party with 42 members, would have the largest contingent of 35 first-time councillors.
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The DMK, which has 16 members, is placed in a slightly better position as six of its councillors being second or third time who with their experience could be expected to throw up searching questions and give a tough time to the inexperienced Mayor A.Jaya in conducting the proceedings of the council.
The Mayor and the AIADMK councillors would be under pressure to find solutions to some of the immediate civic problems, prominent among them being the drinking water short-supply faced by residents in several parts of the city.
The on-going drinking water augmentation scheme, notwithstanding the claims of “partial commissioning” made by officials towards the end of the previous DMK regime in the State, is yet to be completed. Work on laying the pumping and distribution mains have been fast underway, though the pumping mains across the Cauvery River is yet to be built.
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A worrying factor has been the slow pace of construction of the new 35 overhead water tanks to be built under the scheme in various parts of the city.
Only on completion of the OHTs, would the Corporation be able to achieve the project's main objective of ensuring equitable supply to all parts of the city.
Another ambitious project, to strengthen the city's road network in a big way under the Tamil Nadu Urban Road Infrastructure Project, was planned to be implemented during the previous regime. Whether the project would see the light of the day remains to be seen.
The council would also have to arrive at a decision on the location of the proposed integrated bus stand in the city and identify a site for shifting the wholesale section of the Gandhi Market.
Most of the newly added residential colonies have been facing a slew of problems, right from absence of proper roads, drainages, lighting and poor sanitation.
The priority of the newly elected representatives should be to improve sanitation and amenities in these areas, observed Ghouse Baig, secretary, Golden Rock branch of Consumer Protection Council, Tamil Nadu. The addition of five new wards, with scores of developing colonies, would also pose an additional burden on the Corporation as amenities here have to be brought on par with the city.
With a whopping 71 per cent of its annual revenue expenditure going towards salaries and pension, the civic body is left with hardly any funds for major capital works. The newly elected representatives would have to lobby hard to get funds from the government and funding agencies.