SALEM: The Salem City Municipal Corporation on Monday revoked its earlier resolution to privatise the proposed 24x7 drinking water supply project, after councillors across party lines opposed the move during the monthly council meeting. Meanwhile, Deputy Mayor M Saradha Devi from the Congress staged a walkout from the corporation.
The council meeting was chaired by Mayor A Ramachandran, in the presence of Salem Municipal Corporation Commissioner Lalith Aditya Neelam. Before the proceedings commenced, members of the DMK and AIADMK placed portraits of their respective leaders inside the council hall, while Congress members attempted to place a portrait of K Kamaraj.
During the discussion, ward 44 VCK councillor M Imayavaramban urged the corporation to cancel the tender awarded for the project, stating that privatising the city's drinking water supply would adversely affect the free supply of water to the public.
Councillors from both the DMK and AIADMK supported the demand, following which Mayor A Ramachandran announced that the earlier resolution approving the 24x7 drinking water supply project under a private management was revoked.
AIADMK councillors also raised complaints over the quality of drinking water supplied in the city. Ward 22 councillor and AIADMK whip K C Selvaraj alleged that substandard chlorine was being used, resulting in worms being found in drinking water supplied to residents, and sought a detailed inquiry into the matter.
Councillors also urged the corporation to reconsider the recent transfer of sanitation supervisors, stating that the changes had affected conservancy work in several wards. The remaining resolutions were subsequently adopted before the meeting concluded.
Meanwhile, Deputy Mayor Saradha Devi staged a walkout soon after the meeting started, alleging that her chair had been deliberately placed at a lower level before the proceedings, which she termed an insult to the office of the deputy mayor. Congress councillor Girija Kumaresan also walked out in support of her.
Speaking to reporters outside the council hall, Saradha Devi alleged that instead of focusing on resolving the city's civic issues, the mayor was repeatedly attempting to corner her through various actions.
She further alleged that councillors cutting across party lines had consistently opposed the proposal to privatise the 24x7 drinking water supply scheme over the past few months, but the mayor had continued to push for the project.
Hours after the council meeting concluded, sources within the corporation told TNIE that, although the resolution revoking the project had been passed, the tender process for the project had already been completed earlier.
Reacting to the development, Mayor Ramachandran said the matter involved a legal complication, stating that the tender had already been floated and agreements had also been signed. However, he maintained that since all councillors had opposed the move, the resolution was revoked.
