Date:04/04/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/04/04/stories/2006040418470300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Irate residents to boycott the polls

Kannal Achuthan

In Manali New Town, public anger simmers

Manali New Town residents demand for separate local body long-pending
Infrastructure in the township very poor

Order declaring Manali New Town as a Town Panchayat not implemented

Chennai: Residents of Manali New Town, a suburb in north Chennai off Ennore, have decided to boycott the Assembly elections to protest the apathy of government agencies in meeting their long-pending demand for a separate local body.

A resolution to stay away from polls was passed at a general body meeting of the Manali New Town Residents Welfare Association held on Sunday. About 200 residents participated in the meeting.

"We have been making an appeal for a separate local body for several years. The infrastructure in this township is very poor and our demands for development have not yielded results," said T. Martin, welfare association secretary.

In 1998, the Government issued an order (No: 439) declaring Manali New Town as a Town Panchayat. But this order was not implemented. Now, the township comes under three panchayats in Puzhal Block and Minjur block. The population of the township is about 15,000.

Residents demand a separate local body for Manali New Town as the lack of a single authority has led to a deterioration of civic amenities in the area. A formal agreement was reached in September 2005 that the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) would complete civic and maintenance work by March 31, 2006, and hand over the management to the Puzhal and Minjur block development officers. This had resulted in a new hope for an improved township.

No action

However, the CMDA has taken no action for infrastructure maintenance, residents said. The CMDA issued tender notice calling for contractors for road relaying and culvert repair in Manali New Town but works are yet to be taken up.

As a result, the Sub-Collector of Ponneri, the revenue division under which Puzhal and Minjur blocks fall, recently wrote to the Tiruvallur Collector expressing his inability to help the Manali New Town residents unless the CMDA fulfilled its obligation.

"We have represented our problems to the CMDA, the Thiruvallur Collectorate, other state government officials and politicians. We feel really let down and are not going to vote," said N. Subramanian, president, Manali New Town Residents Welfare Association.