Every month the councillors of this neighbourhood meet at the Chennai Corporation Zone 9 office in Nungambakkam to discuss local civic issues and present proposals for their respective wards.
Over time, have these councillors got moving projects and issues that bother and engage the people of their wards? Do these meetings serve a purpose?
This past fortnight, Mylapore Times chatted with the councillors to get some feedback.
Noorjahan the councillor of Ward 121 says that most of the roads in her ward need to be relaid. There are about 160 streets in my ward of which only 70 to 80 of them have got approval to be re-laid.
“Many residents complain about bad roads. I have taken this up to the Zonal officer but he has not sanctioned my request. He says that there is some type of administration problems, she says.
Noorjahan lives in hope.
The councillor of Ward 124, J. P. Chandrika says that though she has certain issues to address she is not ready to discuss them in the public forum.
“I don’t want the work that is taking place now to be stopped,” she says.
“We are not respected at the office”, says a candid R. Bommi, councillor of Ward 125, San Thome.
“Neither the Corporation authorities nor the civic workers give us the respect. They also don’t do the work that is required of them. All local councillors get the same treatment, “she says.
Bommi says she has lost the battle against a tax company who hijacks road space near Sri Kapali Temple. ” I keep raising this issue but this seems to fall on deaf ears,” says Bommi.
“The main problem in my ward is the lack of proper drainage facilities,” says R. Vijayalakshmi, councillor of Ward 126.
The areas that require attention are Kuppai Medu, Rajiv Gandhi Nagar and Andimandi Thottam. “Everyday people from these areas come to my office and urge me to take some kind of action. When I took up this problem in the zonal meeting I was told that they’re not enough funds to undertake this work,” she says.
She now pins her hope on the Mylapore MLA who has promised to allocate funds.
She is unhappy with the Slum Board and Metrowater too. “They do not want to take any action to clear the drains here.’ They just pass the buck”, she says.
P. Jansirani, Councillor of Ward 123 ( Alwarpet ) she said that she was sick and could not talk to this reporter.
“If you require any details please contact my father who sits in the ward office,” she says.
Nakeeran, Executive Engineer, Corporation responded to the issues raised by councillors. Here is his take –
Ward 126: The problem of improper drains facility at the slum areas needs to be addressed by the Slum Clearance Board. This property belongs to that department. This does not mean that the Corporation has neglected this ward. We have laid cement roads.
100 loads of debris from the Corporation ground in Canal Bank Road removed the past weeks. Person appointed to keep a check on who is using this ground as a dumping yard.
Ward 124: This is one of the most fully developed ward. A lot of development work has been put into this ward during the last 10 years, he added.
B. T. Raman, Executive Engineer for ward 121 was not available for comments.
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