THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Reiterating that councillors should keep their politics away and work together for the city’s development, Governor Rajendra Arlekar said that efficiency and dedication matter the most for development and not money.
Addressing the newly elected councillors of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation at the Lok Bhavan, Arlekar commented that possibilities of obtaining support from private firms should also be explored, along with government funds.
Irrespective of which party is governing the Centre, all councillors should demand the central funds in unison, he said. Urging everyone to step forward to set up a separate space in the city for protests, Arlekar also suggested that the councillors can place a progress report before the people annually.
At the meeting, the councillors also raised the pressing issues of the capital city, including the urgent completion of the Vizhinjam port, traffic congestion in major junctions and around the Padmanabhaswamy Temple, stray dog menace, and the immediate completion of sea walls to combat coastal erosion.
Concerns like pollution in rivers and canals, drinking water scarcity, immediate housing for all eligible beneficiaries, modern waste management solutions, etc, were also discussed. Mayor V V Rajesh, and parliamentary party leaders in the corporation S P Deepak (CPM) and K S Sabarinadhan (Congress) also addressed the gathering.