MDMK candidate may split middle class votes in Avadi

By S. Shanker

CHENNAI, OCT. 17.The contest for the chairman's post in Avadi is a tame affair, with the main contenders - the DMK and TMC - refraining from making allegations against the administration and the council. Both, however, are apprehensive of the MDMK candidate, who is seen as having a strong footing in the predominantly middle class area.

A major reason for the `silence' of the contenders is that though the present council was led by the TMC candidate, Mr. Shanthilal Jain, till recently, it was the DMK majority in the council that influenced all decisions. The TMC has nominated the present Vice- Chairman, Mr. M. Mohan, for the Chairman post. The DMK nominee, Mr. S. M. Nasar, says the council had always tried to apportion funds equally among the 48 wards, a statement also echoed by the TMC candidate. Both concede that water crisis was a major issue ever since the TWAD Board supply of about 10 lakh litres a day (LLD) disrupted a few months ago.

Avadi depends mainly on groundwater and the shortage has been made good by tanker supply, both rented and municipality-owned, to an extent of 4.5 lakh litres. This is further supplemented by 326 borewells and 108 open wells, which together contribute to about 4 lakh litres. Two wells recently commissioned at Puzhal offer an additional one lakh litres each for the redistribution process.

A Rs.4.63-crore Metrowater link to the town is in progress and a Rs.10-crore distribution network with residential connectivity is also in the offing. Apart from the three over- head tanks (OHT) at Thirumullaivoyal, Pattabhiram and Avadi, with a total installed capacity of 8.5 lakh litres, two more OHTs have been proposed under the expansion project. An assurance for providing a sewer network also features dominantly in their electioneering programme.

Mr. Mohan terms the project as an achievement during his tenure in office. He says given the financial condition of the municipality, road work to a great extent had been completed. Only 20 per cent of roads remained to be `metalled'. The municipality gets about Rs.3.3 crores as property tax from about 36,000 assessees, of which about 70 per cent has to be set aside for staff salary and overheads.

More than the garbage clearance, its disposal has become a major issue. Despite five years in office, the council could not identify a dumping yard for the town, which generates about 100 tonnes a day. Municipal and poromboke lands within the local body limits have become convenient dumping sites for the conservancy operations.

About three years ago the local body has sought 15 acres of land at Thirumullaivoyal for locating its compost yard. It was turned down by the PWD as the site came under ayacut area. A recent proposal for acquiring a 15-acre poromboke site at Mitnamallee has been forwarded, though municipal officials have been told to go for outright acquisition. Councillors rule out the possibility of acquisition as it could not be done with Rs.20 lakhs sanctioned by the Government, as the guideline value for 15 acres in most parts of the town was well over Rs.1.5 crores. Moreover, there were not many sites measuring 15 acres in the area, except near lake beds.

Apart from the DMK and TMC nominees, Mr. Andhari Das of the MDMK and three others are contesting for the chairman's post. A total of 316 candidates are contesting for the 48 wards of the town, which has an electorate of 1.59 lakhs.

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