Salem Mayor, councillors start indefinite sit-in against Corporation Commissioner

Salem Corporation Mayor A. Ramachandran and 20 DMK councillors began their indefinite sit-in against Salem Corporation Commissioner Lalitaditya Neelam on Friday (September 25).

The Mayor alleged that the Corporation Commissioner did not send the resolutions passed in the council meetings to the State government.

Speaking to reporters, Mr. Ramachandran said the decision to privatise the drinking water supply in Salem Corporation should be cancelled. From the British era, it was the Salem Corporation that supplied water to the public, and it should continue. If a private company started supplying water, charges would be increased threefold.

Also, the transfer of land, worth ₹1,000-crore, for free for a waste-to-energy project should be dropped. If the plant was established, waste from five districts would be dumped in Salem, which would pollute land, air and water.

As the Commissioner did not send the resolution passed against this project, Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay announced it in the Assembly under the 110 rule, the Mayor added.

He also demanded action against those who entered the council meeting hall during the last meeting. Also, tenders were being given without knowledge of the Mayor and the councillors, he alleged.

“The Commissioner, who is going for inspection in my ward 6, did not inform me. So, departmental action should be taken against the Commissioner. Until our demands are met, we will continue our protest,” the Mayor added.

Since many councillors had gone to the the by-election campaign, all councillors were not present. But all of them, including those from the AIADMK, supported the protest, the Mayor clarified.

Police personnel were deployed to the Salem Corporation office to avoid any untoward incidents.

People coming into the corporation office will be allowed in after checking, sources said.