Water issue likely to dominate Corporation council meet

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, JUNE 27. The Opposition would function as per the dictates of ``democratic decency'' in the council meet on Thursday, but will ``not sit back and watch'' if the Mayor decides to do away with the zero hour, Opposition leaders in the Chennai Corporation council said today.

``Water availability is the most important issue today. This needs to be discussed at length,'' Mr. P. Vetrivel, TMC leader, said.

He said there was no provision in the Acts governing the Corporation to appoint watch and ward staff. Police were not authorised to enter the council. The same was applicable to the Vigilance Officer (VO). The nature of the duties of the VO had been outlined as per the Madras Corporation Municipal Act, 1919 and the Orders of the Government. ``Nowhere does it say that the VO should be pulled in for security duties,'' said Mr. Thiagarajan, AIADMK leader.

The Mayor adjourned the last council meet abruptly after the police staff on duty refused to obey his orders to evict AIADMK councillors.

In fact, the VO could not enter the council at all, the Opposition leaders said. They charged that the ruling DMK pressurised the then Commissioner, Mr. Jothi Jagarajan, to issue ``illegal orders'' allowing some police personnel inside the council hall.

The CPI leader, Mr. Sampath, said his party, like the rest of the Opposition, was ready to extend all cooperation to development programmes. But, the action of the Mayor in not passing the 102 resolutions in the last council meeting showed that the DMK was not keen on the betterment of the city, he charged.

The Opposition leaders said the rules governing the Corporation made it clear as to what constituted a breach of order in the council. Though none of the detailed items were violated in the last meet, the Mayor called for the watch and ward staff and later adjourned the council meet.

They also requested that the picture of the Chief Minister, Ms. Jayalalithaa, be installed in the council. A 1989 Public Department Government Order says that the official photograph of the Chief Minister supplied by the authorised department should be affixed in Government offices and tourist bungalows.

When asked if water scarcity or the photo-issue would take precedence in the council, the Opposition leaders said water problem would take precedence. ``We are just pointing out that the fixing of the photograph is both the tradition and the norm. It will be up to the Mayor to function as per these traditions,'' Mr. Vetrivel said.

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