TIRUCHY: Residents have sought action against ground-level workers of the city corporation who, pretending to be experts, purportedly demand money from households citing violations in construction or maintenance works and for desilting stormwater drains.
While corporation officials assured to look into the issue, which was raised by ward councillors in the previous council meeting, no action has been taken so far, residents said. Kasturirangan, a resident of Srirangam, said, "I have recently been carrying out maintenance work on my 100-year-old ancestral house which is in a dilapidated condition. However, a corporation employee approached me claiming that the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department had prohibited the maintenance of old residential buildings in Srirangam. I responded clarifying that the house is not built on encroached land. I would reach out to the corporation if the worker comes again with such nonsensical objections."
K Ranganathan, another resident, said, "Corporation workers would take note of maintenance or construction works in the city and later approach the owners of the buildings to point out various rule violations. Some have even given money to the workers. In pockets of Srirangam, the residents have even paid money to corporation workers for conducting desilting works." When contacted, senior officials said stringent action would be taken against those workers involved in such offences.
A senior corporation official said, "The residents do not have to give money to the corporation workers for conducting desilting works. If the residents are at fault for drainage blockage, a notice mentioning the fee would be issued. Similarly, ground-level workers are not supposed to point out violations in regard to construction or maintenance works. Residents can file complaints if such incidents recur."