Cong councillors protest against municipal admin amendment rules

CHENNAI: The Congress councillors were against the recently passed state municipal administration amendment rules stating that the projects to be carried out in the city does not require approval from the ward councillors.

The councillors requested the State governmentto exempt city corporation from amending the by-laws.

In the municipal administration and water supply ordinance issued on April 12, the amendment will affect the authority and rights of citizens representatives such as mayor, deputy mayor and ward councillors of Chennai Corporation.

"The fund for development works in the wards has been reduced and the amendment allows the Corporation commissioner to carry out works up to Rs 3 crore without the approval of the councillors," said congress councilor S Rajasekar during the council meeting held at the Ripon Building.

In addition, the approval of mayor and ward councillors is mandatory only for the projects above Rs 4 crore.

The congress and communist councillors urged that the Tamil Nadu Chief minister to consider the objection against the amendment, and exempt Chennai Corporation from the municipal administration act. The councillors also said that any amendment to the existing tender rules and regulations will take away the rights of elected representatives giving an undue advantage to the contractors and the bureaucrats.

Chennai Mayor R Priya said, "The issue will be taken to the notice of the Chief Minister, and the concerned minister of the department." arrest of the perpetrators.