Chaos in Thanjai Corpn as members indulge in slugfest

TIRUCHY: Pandemonium prevailed in the Thanjavur Corporation Council meet on Tuesday after a war of words erupted between DMK and AIADMK members over the one year achievement of the civic administration.

When the council meeting chaired by the Mayor Shan Ramanathan in the presence of the Commissioner Saravanakumar and Deputy Mayor Dr Anjugam Boopathy began AIADMK member (Ward 41) Manikandan demanded to withdraw the decision of outsourcing the garbage collection process and claimed that it would lead to a series of irregularities.

Charging that the Mayor was keen to get publicity and has wasted the people’s money by printing the one year achievement booklet, he claimed that no development has been achieved as claimed. “You have wasted money that could be utilised for some other developmental works in which the Corporation has been lacking,” said Manikadan.

Infuriated, the DMK members rose from their seats and condemned the AIADMK member and demanded apology. Adding fuel to fire, Mayor Ramanathan asked AIADMK members whether they belonged to EPS or OPS faction. Subsequently, the AIADMK members staged a walk out.

Manikandan said that the civic administration has printed 55,000 copies of an achievement book titled ‘Ungalil Oruvan’. “The corporation had spent more than Rs 1 crore for the book which has no mention of works completed, detailed project reports of works under way and status of the Centre-sponsored Smart City project implemented by the AIADMK government,” said Manikandan.