The AIADMK has charged the Corporation of rampant corruption in implementing development works and causing huge loss to the urban civic body by allowing sale of unapproved housing plots without approval from the Corporation.
Speaking to reporters here on Friday, AIADMK’s Tirunelveli district secretary Thatchai N. Ganesa Raja said a 3-acre land parcel at Gandhi Nagar in Old Pettai, which had been sliced into housing plots, had been given underground drainage, drinking water and road facilities even though it was not approved by the Corporation.
Since this layout being promoted by a ruling party office-bearer had caused several crores of revenue loss, the AIADMK submitted a petition with the Corporation against it, but the urban civic body had taken no action.
“Most of these plots have been registered even without the Corporation’s approval and showing the guideline value in the document. At the same time, the Corporation refuses to give approval to the layout being promoted by our party office-bearer and former councillor Palkannan, who has properly obtained Directorate of Town and Country Plan approval and applied for the Corporation’s approval. He is ready to pay the taxes payable to the Corporation for getting the approval. However, he is being forced to give ₹25 lakh per acre as bribe for getting approval. Mr. Palkannan has refused to budge and has decided to approach the court for legal remedy,” Mr. Ganesa Raja said vowing that the AIADMK would bring to light the corruption in implementing development works in the Corporation.
He also alleged that four of the 55 wards in Tirunelveli Corporation, which were being represented by the AIADMK councillors, were being ignored and meted out step-motherly treatment.
While the ‘Amma Unavagam’ feeding the poor, was being systematically smothered as they were started by late Chief Minister Jaylalaithaa, the Palayamkottai market, which was reportedly inaugurated by the Chief Minister, the truck terminal in Pettai, badminton indoor court in Palayamkottai, shops in the Tirunelveli Junction bus-stand and the Palayamkottai bus-stands are in disuse causing huge revenue loss to the Corporation, Mr. Ganesa Raja charged.
However, Mayor G. Ramakrishnan stoutly denied these charges. He claimed that no underground drainage, drinking water and road facilities had been given to the Gandhi Nagar layout so far.
He said the application from Mr. Palkannan was pending with the Corporation for want of a few more documents and the undertaking by the applicant for installing solar street lights and constructing a tank for drinking water distribution in the layout being promoted by him.
“We are impartial and are treating all the councillors of the Corporation, including the AIADMK members equally. While ration shops and additional classroom buildings have been sanctioned to ward 31 (being represented by AIADMK Councillor S. Amudha), ₹16 crore has been sanctioned for constructing drainage channels in ward 28 (of AIADMK member Chandrasekar),” Mr. Ramakrishnan pointed out.
Published – July 04, 2025 07:58 pm IST
