Date:01/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/01/stories/2008110159430300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Madurai

‘No’ to shift vegetable market to temporary site

Staff Reporter

State Government has turned down proposal

MADURAI: The State Government has turned down the Corporation’s proposal to move the Central Vegetable Market to a temporary site at Mattuthavani.

It has expressed its disapproval of the decision to spend a huge sum of Rs. 7 crore for a temporary facility.

Clarifying the issue at the Corporation council meeting held here on Friday, the Commissioner, D.J. Dhinakaran, said that the new proposal to construct a permanent market building at a cost of Rs. 55 crore had been sent for the Union Government’s approval.

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam member, K. Chelladurai, said that traders of 540 shops at the present vegetable market were ready to foot the cost towards land acquisition and construction of a market building.

Stating that the local body need not wait for the Government’s nod for a longer duration, he said the traders were willing to own the shops.

Pointing out that there was precedence for this proposal in the Chennai market and in the case of flower and paddy traders of Madurai, Mr. Chelladurai wondered why the Corporation should spend its resources.

Revenue loss

Turning down the proposal, the Commissioner said that the Corporation could not afford to lose a major revenue (around Rs. 1 crore) generated through the rent for shops in the market.

When Mr. Dhinakaran said that the new proposal, comprising shops for onion merchants, fruits and coconut traders, was estimated at Rs. 55 crore, Mr. Chelladurai said that he was ready to negotiate with those traders too.

The councillor’s proposal was backed by other DMK and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) members. The Mayor, G. Thenmozhi said that a meeting with officials and representatives of various traders’ bodies would be organised to discuss the issue.

“Sub-standard tricycles”

Earlier, the Corporation’s South Zone Chairman, A. Manickam, complained that the newly procured tricycles for solid waste managed were of inferior quality.

“The wheels have started to bend, unable to withstand the load. I am ready to prove that these are not of good quality,” he said.

The Mayor questioned the officials as to why such sub-standard vehicles were procured.

The Commissioner instructed the Corporation Executive Engineer, A. Mathuram, to get quality certification and return the 45 tricycles if they were found to be of lower grade.