Date:02/01/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/01/02/stories/2008010254160500.htm

Tamil Nadu - Erode

Erode Mayor assumes office

Staff Reporter

— Photo: M. Govarthan

Maiden signature: K. Kumar Murugesh assumes office as Mayor of Erode Municipal Corporation on Tuesday.

ERODE: The first Mayor of the Erode Corporation K. Kumar Murugesh (DMK) assumed office on Tuesday at a function held at the Council hall of the administrative building.

The 136-year-old Erode Special Grade Municipality was upgraded to a Corporation from January 1 and was inaugurated by Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Saturday.

Mr. Murugesh signed the minutes book in the presence of Deputy Mayor B. Venkatachalam, Corporation Commissioner K.R. Selvaraj and councillors.

He also unveiled a life-size portrait of Periyar who represented the Erode Municipality as its Chairman from 1917 to 1919. The Mayor said all the infrastructure improvements would be made in the Corporation areas. The public may represent their grievances with the Mayor and other officials for redressal. As usual, equal importance would be given to all political parties, he said. He thanked the Chief Minister for granting Rs. 5 crore as subsidy for the Corporation for the infrastructure developments.

All DMK and Congress councillors, one MDMK and two AIADMK councillors attended the programme. The AIADMK and DMDK councillors said they were asked to attend the ‘meeting’ of the Corporation council, but no information was given about the Mayor assuming office.

So they did not participate in the function, but would attend the first meeting of the Corporation council on Wednesday.