Even after four years, basic works pending in our wards, say councillors

Cutting across party lines, several councillors of Madurai Corporation on Tuesday said that even basic civic works such as tar roads, potable water and drainage system were not in place in their wards.

Mayor Indrani Pon Vasanth, Deputy Mayor T. Nagarajan, Commissioner Chitra Vijayan and senior officials were present at the council meeting in Anna Maaligai.

Raising questions about their wards, a majority of councillors from DMK, CPI(M), Congress and MDMK said they were unable to face the public ire due to the nonchalant attitude of officials.

Intervening, the Mayor said that numerous works were being done only under the present regime and it would be unfair to say that no works had been done.

Joining her, officials listed out the road works, action taken to provide potable water under the MullaPeriyar drinking water project and completion of the underground drainage system, among others.

Congress councillors led by Karthikeyan said that stray dog menace had not been contained. The Eco Park, which was the cynosure of all eyes in the city, was in a bad shape as the plants and trees had withered due to lack of watering.

DMK councillor Noor Jahan said she was tired of complaining about non-execution of many basic works in her ward, a thickly populated area in Central Madurai.

MDMK councillor Baskaran said that despite representing the ward, which had the famous Meenakshi Temple, clearing of garbage was not up to the mark. Repeated pleas to keep public toilets neat and clean had fallen only in deaf ears.

Amma Unavagams were serving sub-standard food, said a CPI (M) ward councillor representing Ward 96.

The Commissioner said she would take up the issues on a war-footing and bring out results with the help of her officials and urged the councillors to cooperate with the administration.