Date:15/12/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/12/15/stories/2006121506840300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Anantapur

TDP stages dharna against poor civic facilities

Staff Reporter

Change in Municipality stature no benefit to citizens

No underground drainage to this day in many localities

Municipality silent over illegal constructions

CIVIC CONCERN: TDP activists participating in a dharna staged in front of the Municipal Corporation office highlighting their problems at Anantapur on Thursday.

ANANTAPUR : The town unit of TDP staged a dharna in front of the office of Municipal Corporation here on Thursday alleging total failure of the Congress administration in fulfilling its poll promises and providing basic amenities to the citizens.

Speaking at the protest programme TDP leaders T. Adinarayana, B.V. Venkatramudu, B. Buggiah Chowdary and others stated that the problem of sanitation and drinking water had deteriorated badly in several divisions of the corporation. .

Several localities hadpoor sanitation, scarcity of water and non-functional street lights the TDP leaders detailed the problems. Underground drainage system was promised during run-up to the civic polls but it remains a distant dream so far.

The people had expected betterment of life with improved amenities when the council was changed into a Municipal Corporation. But, except the burden of additional taxes the change in the civic body's stature had failed to help the citizens in any way, they said.