Southern States - Tamil Nadu-Chennai   

Heated debate over Krishna, Veeranam projects

By Saptarshi Bhattacharya

CHENNAI JUNE 20. Marred by evictions and walk outs, the Chennai Corporation Council meeting today witnessed unruly scenes and frayed tempers as an AIADMK member rushed intimidatingly towards the opposition benches following a heated debate over the Krishna, Cauvery and Veeranam projects.

The Council plunged into pandemonium during zero hour following criticism of the Krishna, Cauvery and Veeranam projects with the political rivals shifting the blame on each other for their apparent failure to bring water to Chennai.

The debate was sparked off when the Congress floor leader, `Royapuram' R. Mano, raised fears that if the Chief Minister's Rs. 700-crore Veeranam project for Chennai's water supply augmentation failed like the Rs. 600-crore Krishna water scheme, the city residents would not only face acute water scarcity but also have to fork out the entire sum of money earmarked for the project. The Congress MLAs, he said, had expressed similar fears in the Assembly but they were not heeded.

Cutting Mr. Mano short, the Deputy Mayor, `Karate' R. Thiagarajan, blamed the DMK top brass for the failure of the Krishna water supply scheme adding that it was a Congress Chief Minister of a neighbouring State who prevented Cauvery waters from reaching Chennai.

The DMK and Congress members protested vociferously seeking to expunge some of his remarks.

In course of the heated exchange, the AIADMK member, P. Vetrivel, rushed towards the shouting DMK members intimidatingly accusing the DMK deputy floor leader, A. K. Jagadeesan, of using `unparliamentary language'.

The DMK members retorted back and shouted slogans demanding action against Mr. Vetrivel and to provide security to the opposition members.

The DMK members were evicted from the Council after they ignored the Deputy Mayor's warnings to restore order.

Soon after, Mr. Mano, invoking Rule 37 of the Council Code of Conduct, moved a resolution seeking disciplinary action against Mr. Vetrivel for misdemeanour. Refusing to admit the resolution, the Deputy Mayor accused the Congress of obstructing the Cauvery water flow to Chennai.

In response, Mr. Mano said he deemed it an insult for the Congress members to continue in the Council under the Deputy Mayor and led a march out.

The MDMK member, C. Ambikabathy, followed by independent councillor, Syed Masood, and the Tamil Manila Desiya League member, Mohammed Yaseen, too walked out in protest, as members in the treasury benches shouted at them.

Earlier, Mr. Mano called the Deputy Mayor "a minister without a portfolio" pointing out that despite discharging the functions of the Mayor of Chennai, he was not issued a pass to attend the reception of the President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.

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