Tuticorin Municipal council Memebers dissatisfied with the lack of proper infrastructure.

Cutting across party lines, councillors complained about the bad conditions of roads in the town, at the municipal council meeting held in Tuticorin Municipal Building on 25th January.

N. Suresh Kumar (All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam), councillor of Ward 8, said the administration `miserably failed' to respond to the repeated pleas of people and elected representatives to carry out road repairs.

He pointed out that most of the road accidents had occurred owing to poor condition of roads.

Drinking water crisis and stray dog menace were the other problems highlighted by the councillors of various political parties.

Municipal Commissioner K. Kanagaraj said that the stray dogs could not be killed by administering euthanasia owing to legal problems. "We are exploring the possibility of carrying out birth control measure on the stray dog population, with the help of officials from the Department of Animal Husbandry."

The council passed a resolution to change the old fittings on 200 streetlight poles at an estimated cost of Rs. 1.75 lakh.

Besides, the house decided to upgrade eight earthen roads to cement roads, four water-bound macadam roads to metalled roads and establish storm water drains, all on a total outlay of Rs. 52.85 lakh.

Municipal Chairperson Kasturi Thangam said that a park at Boltonpuram would be renovated soon at Rs. 2.50 lakh. Of the total project cost, Rs. 1 lakh would be availed from the municipal exchequer and the rest from Town and Country Planning Department, she added.

The council decided to raise the minimum monthly water charges for domestic use from Rs. 40 to 50 with immediate effect. Similarly, rates for commercial establishments and industries were raised from Rs. 70 to 100 and Rs. 105 to 150. respectively.

Source: The Hindu