AIADMK councillors stage a walkout from Salem Corporation council meeting

AIADMK councillors of the Salem Corporation staged a walkout during the council meeting on Friday, alleging corruption.

Speaking at the meeting, Ward 44 councillor (VCK) J.M. Imayavarman demanded the Salem Corporation to pass a resolution to award ₹5 crore to Kabaddi player Karthika, who played a vital role in the Indian team winning the gold medal in the Asian Youth Games held in Bahrain.

The State government gave ₹25 lakh to the player. She is the daughter of a Chennai Corporation conservancy worker. So the government should provide ₹5 crore to Karthika, a government job to her parents and a plot in the government quarters at Kannagi Nagar, where they are residing, he said.

DMK councillor of ward 43 M. Gunasekaran said that at no. 2 Muniappan Kovil Street in Ward 43, even as it rained heavily last week, a contractor laid a road amid opposition and the road was damaged in the rain. Action should be taken against the contractor. Funds should not be provided to four zones equally in Salem Corporation, as one zone had 16 wards and another zone had 14 wards, he added.

Ward 9 DMK councillor V. Deivalingam demanded action against miscreants who are spreading rumours on social media that dogs taken to the Animal Birth Control centre died.

AIADMK councillor K.C. Selvaraj of ward 22 alleged that for constructing storm water drainage worth ₹6.50 crore in ward 22, a contract was awarded to a construction company three years ago, but no work was done. The Corporation should cancel the contract and the company should be blacklisted. The Tide grant for the Salem Corporation for the year 2023-24 was said to be cancelled, as the Tide funds were allegedly diverted for providing salary to Corporation staff and bill amounts to the contractors, Mr. Selvaraj alleged.

Replying to the allegations, Corporation Commissioner M. Elangovan said that cancelling Tide funds was not possible and the allegations would be looked into.

AIADMK councillors staging a walkout from the council meeting in Salem Corporation on Friday.
| Photo Credit:
LAKSHMI NARAYANAN E.

Opposition leader N. Yadhavamoorthy (AIADMK) claimed that due to issues prevailing in the tender for the shops at VOC market, Salem Corporation incurred a loss of ₹6.17 crore. The Corporation in its resolution claimed that patch works were done in a few wards at ₹29 lakh. But the works were not done and the funds were allegedly misappropriated. Six months ago, the Salem Corporation received resolutions from four zones to reduce the tax hike by the Corporation, but no action was taken on the resolutions, Mr. Yadhavamoorthy added. After his speech, AIADMK councillors staged a walkout from the meeting.