Assurance on more seats in govt. colleges

By Our Staff Reporter

PONDICHERRY, SEPT. 8. The Tourism and Education Minister, Mr. A.V. Subramanian, told the Assembly today during the zero hour that the administration had drawn the attention of the Pondicherry University to increase the number of seats in the Government colleges here and also in the Kanchi Maamunivar PG Studies Centre.

He gave this reply when the Congress member, Mr. R. Kamalakannan, pointed out earlier that with the number of students passing out of the Plus Two courses had been on the increase, the static strength in the colleges was not meeting the mounting demand for collegiate studies. He said students from the rural areas were specifically hit by this situation.

Mr. Subramanian said that the university was requested to raise the strength.

Mr. R. Siva (DMK) and the BJP's lone member, Mr. A.M. Krishnamoorthy, pointed out that the administration should implement the award given by the Special Industrial Tribunal revising upward the wages of the workers of the Government-owned AFT mill. The DMK Legislature Party Leader, Mr. R.V. Janakiraman, and Mr. S.P. Sivakumar, also pleaded for the implementation.

Mr. Krishnamoorthy said the workers should not be victimised for no fault of theirs and action should be taken through the CBI against officers in the mill who had caused losses in the undertaking. The losses were due to the mistakes committed by officers, he alleged.

During the question time, there was a plea from the Opposition that tyagis be given housesites to mitigate their housing problems. The Chief Minister, Mr. P. Shanmugham, told the members that the rules relating to the presentation of pattas would have to be amended to pave way for the pattas to tyagis.

Mr. M.O.H.F. Shah Jahan (Congress) brought to the notice of the administration the difficulties faced by residents of the Sanjivi Nagar with regard to drinking water and a few other pockets in the Lawspet constituency. He wanted to know what action had been contemplated by the Government.

The PWD Minister, Mr. N. Rangaswamy, said steps such as digging of borewells and installation of pipes would be taken to mitigate the sufferings of the people.

The `pitiable plight' of the Bharathi park opposite the Assembly premises was brought to the notice of the Government by the PMC Leader in the Opposition, Mr. K. Lakshminarayanan.

The Local Administration Minister, Mr. C. Jayakumar, said a scheme had been drawn up to raise a fence at a cost of 12.57 lakhs to protect the park.

Mr. P. Angalan (Congress) wanted the PWD Minister to speed up the reerection of the bridge across the Sankarabarani river in the Tirubuvanai constituency which he represents. Mr. Rangaswamy said that steps had already been taken and a Rs. 8. 12-crore project was contemplated.

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