The National Times - Tambaram civic groups seek action on eight long-pending issues

Federation secretary C. Murugaiyan led a delegation to Collector M. Veerappan with an eight-point representation. It sought implementation of a 2014 plan for a railway subway near Vaishnava College that could accommodate government buses, removal of illegal structures on major roads including Rajendra Prasad Road, and protection of lakes and natural drainage channels.

The federation also asked authorities to accelerate a sanctioned electricity substation at Hasthinapuram, withdraw the requirement that multi-storey apartment residents manage their own municipal waste, and remove a median barricade near Saravana Stores on GST Road to reduce congestion. It demanded that property and local taxes follow existing government orders and circulars, and that departments comply with Government Order 114 of August 2, 2008, requiring written replies to petitions from recognised welfare associations.

Murugaiyan said the Collector instructed his team to place the demands before an upcoming interdepartmental co-ordination meeting. He identified restoration of waterbodies damaged by sewage, invasive plants and encroachment as the immediate priority, and alleged that encroachments remained despite court orders.

The federation separately asked the Tambaram Corporation Commissioner to hold quarterly meetings with residents, activists and officials. On August 27, members of the People’s Awareness Forum, led by Santhanam and Meenakshisundaram, performed aarthi and offered flowers at Pallavaram lake to press the Water Resources Department to stop sewage entering it.

J.Sharp--TNT