During a recent Palani Municipality meeting, councilors voiced their demand for 25% of the revenue from offerings at the Palani Murugan Temple to be allocated to health initiatives within municipal areas. The meeting, presided over by Municipality President Uma Mageshwari (DMK) and Vice President Kandasamy (CPI-M), also saw active discussions on infrastructure issues and administrative concerns.
Discussions And Demands
Councilor Pushpalatha (AIADMK) highlighted urgent water supply issues, reporting that a broken saltwater pipeline was causing shortages in her ward. In response, President Umamakeshwari assured swift action to resolve the issue.
Suresh of the DMK raised concerns over the ongoing discussions to merge nearby Sivagiri Patti and Gothaimangalam panchayats with the municipality, requesting clarification on the status of the proposal. He further addressed alleged encroachment by a hair donation center near Thiruavinankudi on municipal property and inquired about the ownership of the nearby Dandapani station, a site under temple jurisdiction. Town Planning Officer Bhuvaneshwaran responded, stating that the hair donation center is currently undergoing court proceedings, while the land for Dandapani station is registered as government-owned, with a separate land title under Chatram.
Suresh also brought up concerns about a workforce shortage, noting that out of 400 sanctioned sanitation worker positions, only 80 were filled. President Umamakeshwari confirmed efforts are underway to fill these vacancies.
Councilor Deenadayalan (DMK) proposed that the Palani municipality receive financial support from temple offerings, similar to the arrangement for Lower Tirupati Municipality. He emphasized that a 25% share of the temple’s revenue could significantly improve health infrastructure and services in Palani.
The meeting concluded with promises of follow-up on these issues, as councilors emphasized the need for both administrative transparency and improved public services across wards.
(With inputs from Dinamalar)
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