3 Veerankuppam councillors complain about village prez husband’s interference

AMBUR: In yet another case of spouses of civic body chiefs interfering in official works has triggered problems at the Veerankuppam village panchayat in Ambur taluk.

According to a group of elected members the elected woman president J Divya literally keeps away from official work and was allowing her husband Janakiraman to conduct the activities of the civic body.

Three ward members, who are up in arms against the attitude of Divya, submitted a petition to Vaniyambadi RDO on May 9 stating that not only was Janakiraman conducting village panchayat meetings by sitting in the president’s chair, he was also presiding over the gram sabha meetings. Razing Panchayat office sans permission

What actually irked the ward members was that Janakiraman without obtaining permission from the government razed the panchayat office building recently. According to ward member Arun Kumar,

“Janakiraman goes about stating that he is the president and his car also carries this legend. The village passed a resolution at two gram sabha meetings in 201116 that old buildings should not be demolished sans approval of the government.”

Ward member V Geetha said, “Janakiraman takes unilateral decisions without consulting elected members. This was the case with the building demolition also.”

Three councillors handed over a similar petition to Collector.

Amar Kuswaha and also to the PA (panchayat development) on Thursday demanding action against Janakiraman, who had no locus standi to function officially.

Sources said that when Janakiraman sought the support of Rural Development Minister KR Periakaruppan, the latter pulled him up over the demolition of panchayat building.

“Though the AD (panchayats) conducted an enquiry into the issue recently, we are yet to hear of any official action against him,” the councillor said. The petition to the RDO also stated that Janakiraman was allotting group houses to those whom paid money to him.