`Ban smashing of pumpkins on road'

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, MAY 24. The Chennai Corporation must impose a ban on smashing of pumpkins on roads as it posed grave danger to motorists, Mr. C. Kadumpadi, (Ind), councillor, demanded in the Council on Wednesday.

The councillor, criticising the `inaction' by the civic authorities during Zero Hour, said it was an important issue that required immediate action.

Many motorists who crossed places of worship often slipped and fell due to pumpkin pieces strewn on the roadside. ``It is high time that the Corporation imposed a ban on it or make arrangements to post extra conservancy staff and clean the road immediately''.

Mr. Kadumpadi said a similar ban should be imposed on smoking in public places. Though it was imposed in select places, there was still further scope to extend it to other places. The Mayor's dream to provide better living standards to the city residents would not be fulfilled unless the residents were saved from toxic smoke.

The councillor said many of the decisions taken by the Corporation to improve the civic conditions had to be implemented immediately. For instance, almost a year had passed since a resolution was passed to implement levying of a administrative charges for arbitrary disposal of waste. But so far no concrete steps had been taken to inculcate a sense of discipline among the residents and they continued to litter the area. He said strewing flowers during funeral processions was an unhealthy practice.

On the maintenance of statues, the councillor said many of the statues remained neglected. The MGR statue at Anna Salai was in a bad shape because the Corporation seldom took steps to maintain it in the last three years. He wanted the Corporation to set up a separate wing to look into the maintenance of such structures.

Mr. M. Sampath, CPI, councillor, said sewage was let into the sea at Royapuram area. This exposed the residents to lot of environment hazards. It was an important issue and the Mayor should convince the Metrowater to set up a sewage treatment plant in the area. He also wanted the authorities to immediately take steps to implement the proposal to extend medical facilities to the councillors.

Only four councillors spoke during the Zero Hour as the TMC, Congress(I) and AIADMK walked out at the very beginning protesting the anti-Dalit stand of the ruling party.

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Section  : Southern States
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