CHENNAI: Chaos ensued in the council meeting at Ripon Buildings on Thursday after a face-off between DMK and AIADMK councillors over which party should get credit for initiating the Nemmeli desalination plant.
The first 100 MLD Nemmeli desalination plant was inaugurated in 2013 by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to supply drinking water to residents of South Chennai while its foundation stone was laid in 2010 by Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.
Councillors from both parties staked claim to initiating the plant after an argument by ward 182 councillor KPK Sateesh Kumar who said that it was AIADMK under J Jayalalithaa who inaugurated the plant.
Sateesh Kumar claimed that his mike was turned off before he was finished with his side of the arguments, later leading to the AIADMK councillors walking out of the council hall. Mayor R Priya said that members of all parties were being treated equally in terms of time allocated for grievances and that Sateesh Kumar was given 22 minutes to speak on Thursday.
Demand for designated smoking zones
Councillor Sateesh Kumar demanded designated zones as unchecked smoking in public areas was creating health risks for the general public. Priya said that it was not solely up to the corporation to keep public smoking in check, but would look into the possibility of creating smoking and non-smoking zones.