Expressing concern over the shortage of sanitary inspectors and sweepers, a section of Corporation councillors on Friday urged the Mayor and the Commissioner to take steps to strengthen manpower to improve sanitation in the city.
Raising the issue during the zero hour of an ordinary meeting of the council chaired by A.Jaya, Mayor, K.Kalpana of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam said that the sanitary inspector in her ward has been transferred and there has been no replacement. Joining her, several other councillors contended that there was an acute shortage of sanitary inspectors as some of them have been appointed as Food Safety Officers.
Corporation Commissioner K.Veera Raghava Rao said that some of the eligible sanitary inspectors have been appointed as Food Safety Officers based on a government order.
But this has not affected the sanitary work as sanitary inspectors in adjoining wards have been given additional charge.
Besides, assistant commissioners and assistant executive engineers of the Corporation have been roped in to supervise sanitary works in their respective areas.
Responding to the reply, M.Anbazhagan of the DMK appealed to the Mayor and Commissioner to take steps to get replacements for sanitary officers appointed as Food Safety Officers and to overcome the severe shortage of sanitary workers in the city. One sanitary inspector cannot supervise the works in 10 to 11 wards, he argued.
S.Kavitha of the DMK complained that 11 sweepers from her ward have been deployed for cleaning work in the Central Bus Stand, much to the detriment of the works in her ward. Mayor Jaya, in response, said that steps would be taken to overcome the problem and the Corporation was considering privatising sanitary operations as one of the options.
Venkat Raj, Independent, complained that the drinking water supplied to many wards under the Golden Rock Drinking Water Scheme was discoloured as the Corporation was resorting to direct pumping of water from the collector well of the new water scheme in the Coleroon river.
Executive Engineer R.Chandran said that the problem has been noticed in a few wards and steps were being taken to ensure that the water was pumped to overhead tanks before being distributed to households to avert the problem.
The meeting was brought to a hurried close after news reached of the murder of the AIADMK functionary Sekar, husband of Kayalvizhi, councillor from ward 29.
A wailing Ms.Kayalvizhi was escorted from the meeting in a huff.
Resolutions on the agenda were passed hurriedly before the Mayor adjourned the meeting sine die.
Among the resolutions approved were the move to install toilet cubicles in the city under public-private partnership and the sanction of Rs.2.38 crore for laying pumping mains of the new water scheme using trenchless technology at critical junctions in the city.
