CHAPTER Ill

ORGANIZATION AND ADMINlSTRATlON

OF THIRUVOTTIYUR MUNICIPALITY

The English word 'Municipality' has been derived from the French

word MLlNlCIPOLlS and Latin word MUNClPlUM meaning free town.

According to Oxford English Dictionary, Municipality means the governing

body of a town or a District having local self-government. The municipality as

a unit of administration is not a political innovation in India. Literary and

historical evidences show that village panchayat of a purely democratic nature

have functioned in the Tamil Kingdoms, only these have been transferred into

a compact administrative set up as municipal council.

Municipal Functions

Local authorities may perform a wide range of activities. The functions

vary from one system to another. In some countries the powers exercised by

local authorities may be extensive, while in other they may be limited.

Services provided by local authorities in respect of roads, street

lighting, parks and recreation, drainage, sewerage, refuse collection and

disposal irrigation and flood control are of environmental nature. Protective

services relate to justice, police, fire, weight and measure inspection, and

pollution control and food and drug inspection. Personal social sewices

concern education, health, welfare, protection of children, care of the

handicapped and the aged, culture and housing and public utility. Services

provided on a commercial basis comprise gas, water, electricity and public

transport

Though the local authority cannot exercise control on matters over

which it does not posses executive responsibility, it is nevertheless, considered

to be highly representative of a given area. It can as well be consultative or be

a part of the process of formulation of opinion on matters concerning local

area. Before examining the organization and administration of Thiruvottiyur

municipality, now it would be desirable to peep in to the administration of

municipalities in Tamil Nadu.

Municipal Administration in Tamil Nadu

Commissionerate of Municipal Administration is the Apex body in the

administration of municipalities. There are 102 Municipalities in the state,

which have been classified into different Grades on the basis of their annual

income. Based on the recommendations of ihe State Finance commission, a

regrouping of Municipalities into different grades was done. The number of

municipalities now in each grade along with the basis for the classification is

as follows.

Tabla 3.1 showing the number of Municipalities in Each Grade

Municipal Administration to look into the grades of municipalities once in

three years.

1

Classification of Municipality

The Government has delegated powers to the commissioner of

Number of Municipalities

13

28

36

25

102

In almost all the states, municipalities are classified on the basis of their

population, income and other relevant factors, as it is detrimental to the

interest of different municipalities if they are all to be governed by the same

provisions of the Municipal Act powers, which might be granted to large town

cannot be extended to municipalities which are mere collection of villages. It

is but natural that a high income-generating town would expect higher le~lel of

civic services, status and powers than a low income generating one. The Ruml

- urban relationship committee had also pointed out that categorization of

municipal bodies into suitable grades is inescapable, if any homogenei9 in

Annual income Rs. (in crores)

5.00

2.00

1 .OO

0.50

I

administrative services, civic facilities*tax resources, grant and the like with

each grade is to be introduced.

Sl. No.

1.

2. 3.

4.

Grade as per norm

Special Grade

Selection Grade

First Grade

Second Grade

Total

Munjcipal Councils

A bewildering variety of name not with standing the vast majority of

urban population has the municipal council type of urban Government which

is chamcterised by three principal structural features. 1) restricted local

autonomy, 21 more pervasive state control climaxing even in dissolutionq2jand

3) vesting of the executive authority in the elected chairman.

Municipalities are entrusted with the responsibilities which can be

discharged closer to people. The elected chairman of the municipality is

functioning as an executive authority of the municipality.

Municipal committees and Municipal Corporations are assigned by the

State Government a large number of functions, of almost identical nature,

with the only difference that the municipal corporations have been endowed

with greater powers and finances. The functions are classified into obligatory

and optional. The former are concerned with the minimum basic needs of the

city people such as paved sheets, metalled roads, drainage, sewerage, lighting

and water supply While the later aim at improving the quality of their life by

providing such facilities as gardens, parks, swimming pools, play grounds,

stadium and other recreational facilities, institution of higher education,

libraries, reading rooms, cultural and art galleries tourist resorts and other

programmes for the beautification of the city.

After independence their functions should have increased to tackle the

problems of tremendous increase in urbanisation and population and to

75

achieve objective of a socialist and welfare state to which our polity is

committed. On the contrary, the municipal bodies have suffered a great

setback in the steady diminution of their functions, which have either been

taken over by the state governments themselves or transferred to special

purpose agencies on the pretext of their inefficiency and inadequacy to

perform them.

Thiruvottiyur Municipality

Thiruvottiyur Municipality came into existence in 1958 as a Third

Grade Municipality in accordance with the G.O.Ms. No 1140, Rural

Development and Administration Department dated 28.09.1958. And it has

been upgraded into second Grade Municipality since 25.5.1966. As the

population and income of the Thiruvottiyur Municipality have increased, it

has been upgraded into first grade municipality on 8.7.1974. Further, it has

got the status of selection grade municipality on 14.12.1988. Since its

inception, it had functioned in a rented building. During 1965, the then chief

minister of Tamil Nadu, late K.A. Bhakthavatchalam laid the foundation of

the municipal buildings. The then chief minister of Tamil Nadu, M.K.

Karunaidhi, inaugurated its own building on 2.1.1970. The municipal

building was named after C. N. Annadurai,the late chief minister of Tamil

Nadu.

NOW it would be desirable to trace the development of municipal

council in Thimvottiyur. When it came into existence as a third grade

7 6

municipality in 1958 it has got only 12 members. In those days the Congress

had majority in the municipal council. During 1966 when it became second

grade municipality, the strength of the municipal council rose to 18. The

number of members in the municipal council increased to 21 in 1974 and

Thiruvottiyur Municipality became first grade municipality. It is interesting to

note that leaders like K.A. Bhakthavatchalam, V. Govindaswamy and

industrialist like, T.K. Palaniswamy were members in the Thiruvottiyur

municipal council. When Thiruvottiyur Municipality became selection grade

municipality during 1988 the strength of the municipal council stood at 32.

In 1986 Municipal election T.K. Palaniswamy was elected as the

chairman of Thiruvottiyur municipality. The municipal council under the

Chairmanship of T. K. Palaniswamy assumed office on 3.3.86 and function of

the superseded municipal councils. In the Thiruvottiyur Municipality

Thiru S. Gajapathy was appointed as special officer and till the end of the

1991 he headed the administration.

The latest local body's election was held in October 1996. According

to G. 0. No 189, municipal administration and water supply dated 20.8.96.

the total number of wards have been increased to 48. In the total of 48 wards,

two were reserved for schedule caste women. Among the remaining wards,

14 were reserved for women (general). All the 48 elected members assumed

office on 25.10.1996.

Subsequent tables indicate the details of Members of Parliament,

Members of Legislative Assembly, Commissioners of Thiruvottiyur

municipality and Chairmen of Thiruvottiyur municipality who have played

wer4active roles in both politics and developmental activities in Thiruvottiyur.

Table 3.2 Showing the Members of Parliament from Thiruvottiyur

Municipal Area (North Chennai)

/ SI. No. / Name / From 1 To 1

1 6. 1 Tha. Pandiyan M.A., B.L., 1 9 8 9 11996 /

1.

2 .

3.

4.

/ 8: 1 S. Kuppu Swamy / 1998 / Till date 1

P. Siva Shankaran

T. Su. Lakshmanan

A.V.P. Asai Thambi

G. Lakshmanan

7 .

1962

1971

1977

1980

N.V.N.Somu, M.A., B.L., (Central Cabinet Minister)

1971

1977

1980

1984

1996 1997

1

Table 3.3 Showing Members of Legislative Assembly from

Thiruvottiyur Constituency

Name Period

/ Maa. V. Narayana Swamy

- I 1. I I

2. r , 3.

/ B. Sigrnanai

/ Kumari Anandan

T.P. Elumalai

Govindarajulu

A.Po. Arasu

1952- 1962

1962-1967

1967-1971

-- I K. Kuppan

I

I 1 7.

8.

1 1996 - Till date I

G.K. Jaya Bharathi

T.K. Palani Swamy

1984- 1988

1988-1991

Table 3.4 Showing Commissioners of Thiruvottiyur Municipality

1 I I

1. 1 K. Jannarthanam 1 1.4.70 1 22.5.70 1 SI. No. Commissioners

1 2. I

! 4. I I I

/ V. Balasubramaniam, B.A. 1 18.5.74 ] 8.7.74

I I I

From

3.

1 6. 1 S. Shan Mugham (P) / 18.3.75 1 26.5.75 1

To

28.10.71 T. Thambiah Fernando, B.A.

i

1 5.

23.5.70

V.V. Bhaskar Rao, B.A

N. Shan Jahan, M.A. 1 9.7.74

I I I 1

9. 1 B.I. Padrnanabhan 1 1.10.76 1 21.7.77 1

29.10.71

17.3.75

I 1 I

1 10. 1 K.G. Subramaniam, M.A. 1

1 22.7.77 1 26.1.78 1

17.5.74

31.3.76 I 7. 8.

I I I 1

1 12. 1 M. Kumaresan, B.A. 1 3.2.78 1 25.4.78

A. Abdul Rahim, B.A

1.4.76 S. Shan Mugham (P)

I I I I

1 13. 1 Usmaan Alikhan, M.E 1 26.4.78 1 5.5.78 1

27.5.75

30.9.76

1 14. / V.R. Varadharajan I

/ 6.5.78 123.1.79 1

2.2.78 1 11. I A. S. K Nambiar j

I I I I

1 15. / Usmaan Ali Khan 1 24.1.79 1 6.2.79

27.1.78

I

! 16.

1 18. 1 D. Srinivasan 1 22.7.81 1 31.3.82 1

I I

V.R. Vadharajan

21.7.81 17. 1 B. Sowri Muthu, M.E

I 1 I

7.2.79

9.6.81

I I I

I I I

22. 1 R. Selvarajan, B.Sc 1 26.4.85 / 30.6.87

8.6.81

31.3.83 19. / V.R. Varadharajan

I I

1.4.82

23.4.85 20. / M. Ayyavu, B.Sc

21. 1 Dr. Prince Prabhakaran

1.4.83

24.4.85 1 25.4.85

I / 23.

I

25. 1 D. Ramalingam 1 15.7.87 1 31.5.88

I I

D.S. SivaSwamy

14.7.87 24. / D.A. Krishna Moorthy

1.7.87

10.7.87

9.7.87

i 26.

I I

1 28. 1 S. Rama Swamy, B.E (P) I

1 21.1.89 / 14.5.89

I

27.

V. Shan Mugha Sundaram 1.6.88 1 23.6.88 ] T.R. Gopalan, B.A

29.

- 31. 1 S. Gajapathy

I

M. Ayyavu B.Sc 1 15.5.89 1 13.9.90

30.

24.6.88 20.1.89

V. Shanmugha Sundaram, M.E

-32.

r 1 34. ) B. Rama Krishnan D.P.0 (P) I

I

14.9.90 1 31.3.91

1 33.

I 1 3 5 N. Deva Doss

Dr. Jaya Kumar, M.H.0 (P)

1 36. ( Sengottaiyan, M.E. (P)

T. Madurai Durai, B.A

37. / M.S. Khadhar Mohideen, M.E I I

10.9.91

I 1 I

38. / Pelisto Bose, B.Sc 1 26.3.93 1 7.10.93

13.9.91

14.9.91 31.5.92

1 40. 1 N. Muthuthanulingam, M.E (P) (L) 1.2.94 / 27.2.94 1 1 41. 1 Dr. T.S. Selva Vinayagarn (P) 1 28.2.94 / 1.9.94 1

I

~ 39.

1 42. / B. Nithya Nandham, M.E (P) 1 2.9.94

8.10.93 N. Deva doss

1 43. 1 R. Palani, B.Com / 3.3.95

31.1.94

1 44. 1 T.S. Selva Vinayagam (P) ~ 1 1.9.95

1 45. I I- I 1 46. 1 C. Shan Mugha Vadivelu, B.A

B. Nithya Nandam B.E (P)

1 47.

19.10.95

1 48.

28.9.95

4.7.96

S. Meyyazhagan

18.10.95

S. Mohan Kumar

5.7.96 20.4.99

2 1.4.99 Till date

Table 3.5 Showing chairmen of the Thiruvottiyur Municipality

1 SI.No. I

/ 1.

2.

The above tables indicate that the elected members remaln in office till

Name

3.

4. I

1 5

their term, unless otherwise the council, assembly or parliament is dissolved.

Period

D.S. Gopal, B.Com

But the term of commissioner is not at all fixed for a particular period, which

B. Munuswamy Naidu I 1964- 1969

1969-

Ma. V. Narayana Swamy

T.K. Palanisamy M.L.A. (Ex. Officer)

T.V. Visvanathan

may lead to discontinuity in municipal administration, which may again cause

1969-1975 4

' 1986-1991

1996-till date

I

inefficiency municipal administration.

Industrial Development in Thiruvottiyur - --

Being situated in the vicinity of Chennai City, Thiruvottiyur area is

growing as an industrial belt. It has several factories in its municipal

jurisdiction, which provide more employment avenues and development

dynamics to the municipality. Such industries include ITC, Kothari Sugars,

Manali Petro Chemicals, U.B. Petro product, Sriram Fibers, Tamil Nadu Petro

Chemicals, K.C.P Cement industries, EID Pany Ltd., Balmer Lawrie, Manali,

Ashok Leyland, Madras Rubber Factory, Ennore Thermal Power Station,

83

Eveready batteries, Madras Refineries Limited, Ennore founday, Wimco

Match factories, Rama Machinery etc.

~ducational Institutions in Thiru~otti~ur.

Thiruvottiyur municipality has well-developed educational

infrastructure facilities. The municipality had been spending a huge amount

on salary for teaching and non-teaching staff under education till 1987. It

amounted to Rs. 28 lakhs in 1989-90. But with the government take over of

the municipal school, the municipal outlay on education has come down

steeply. The following Table indicates the existing schools in Thiruvottiyur

Table 3.6 Showing the Educational Institutions in Thiruvottiyur.

Name of Institutions

- I Primary School

1 Middle School C

/ High School

1 College

To get higher education the students must go either to Chennai or

Nature of Institution

Higher Secondary School

Ponneri where several colleges existing. As far as educational institutions are

Private

- -

4

2

2

concerned, the people demand more number of higher secondary schools,

7

1

especially for girls.

l1 I 12

Municipal Government

Libraries and Reading Rooms

The municipality maintains no libraty or reading room. However, the

municipality has provided a rent-free building to the district libray authority

for running a library in the town. After discussing the infrastructure facilities,

now it would be more opt to see the ongoing developmental activities in

Thimvottiyur Municipality.

evel lop mental Programmes in Thiruvottiyur - ---. --. 1- -". _ _ _

National Slum Development Programme is being im~lemented in

urban local bodies as a centrally sponsored programme from 1996-97

onwards to provide basic amenities such as roads, drainage, streetlight, water

supply, public toilets etc. During the year 1999-2000 the Government of

Tamil Nadu has allocated a sum of Rs.27.11 crores.

Under this scheme, Thiruvottiyur municipality has got Rs.12 lakhs

during 1999-2000. (Rs. 6 lakhs as grant and another Rs. 6 lakhs as municipal

finance). The main drinking water supply-lines, drainage lines have been

repaired and street lights, public latrines and the roads have been repaired

and constructed.

Maintenance of Roads

Roads are the life - line of every developing urban area. The local

authorities had an exclusive right over th;! ground. Necessarily, therefore, it

was the duty of the executive authority to see that no one encroached upon

85

that gound. For this purpose a town surveyor is appointed whose duty it was

to detect encroachment. The surveyor should classify all encroachments into

objectionable and non-objectionable and remove all objectionable once if

by the collector.

State Highways and Rural Welfare Department is maintaining the

following roads in the jurisdiction of Thiruvottiyur municipality.

1. Thiruvottiyur High Road 2. Basin Road

3. Ennore Express Road 4. Ponneri Express Road

The length of the total Roads maintained by the munil. ipality is 99.4

kms.

They are;

/ 1. / Cement Concrete Road / 5.444km 1 / 2. / Tar Road / 76.781 km 1

I

i 4. I Earthen Road / 6.14 km I I 3. Gravel Road 1 11.035 km

Though the municipality spend a huge amount of resources (nearly

I i

Rs50 lakhs during 1999-2000) for laying and maintenance of road in the

municipal area still there exist a number of problems in the road

Total

development. The drainage system almost constructed twenty years back

99.400 km

became outdated to meet the capacity of the growing drainage facilities.

Therefore, often, overflowing of the drainage makes the roads as water

logging areas, leading to accidents and disturbing the movement of people

86

and vehicles. The photograph seen below exhibits the condition of road in

Thirvouttiyur.

87

During rainy seasons and floods, the Ennore Express road existing

near the seashore becomes useless due to sea erosion and water logging.

rhough the municipality has taken a number of measures like constructing of

~~a-shore pillars and supporting structures on the sea-shore side of the road,

more encroachments on the sea-shores and more construction like satellite

port at Ennore and North Madras thermal power station have pushed the sea

into the residential areas. However, the municipality can do nothing but

remain as a silent spectator, because the nature is mightier than mankind. The

following photograph shows the conditions of Ennore Express Highway.

Drinking Water Supply

One of the obligatory functions of the municipality is supply of drinking

water. Clause 147 of the Tamil Nadu Urban Local Bodies Act 1997 observes

that

1. The municipality may supply drinking water fit for domestic

consumption in the municipal area in accordance with the rules

framed for this purpose.

2. The council may specify the fees for supply of water a+ s*~ch rate and

collect the same in such manner as may be prescribed, having regard

to the quantum of consumption made by any person, in situation or

other authority.

3. For the purposes of determining the fees payable under sub section 20

and for regulating the consumption and prevention of wastage of

water, the council may fix water meter at any building or premises in

any area within the municipal limits.

The work relating to fixing of water meter is not required if there is

lesser number of connections in a municipal area and the fees may be

collected at such rate as may be determined by the council from time to time

in accordance with the rules prescribed having regard to the quantum of

water supplied and such fees may be collected upto the period fixing such

meters in that municipality. Further, the subsequent clause 148 states that, the

89

commissioner may subject to availability of water supply to any commercial,

industrial or other purposes and collect water charges from them in

accordance with the by-laws framed by the council for this purpose. /

Thiruvottiyur Municipality has taken concrete steps to provide potable

water for public. Since 9.9.1988, water is supplied from Panjetti drinking

water scheme. Everyday 10.00 lakhs litre of water is taken from this scheme

and water is stored near Manali and pumped to over-head tank situated at

Thiruvottiyur.

Here, it would be desirable to explain the attempt made by the

Thiruvottiyur municipal council to reduce the water charges on behalf of the

public. Since 1998 Chennai Metro Water and Drainage authorities fixed Rs

25 for 1000 litres of water. The council felt that it is a big burden on the part

of municipality. The municipal council enacted a resolution to reduce the

water charges from Rs. 25 to Rs. 5 for 1000 litres of water. The Resolution

was sent to' Government, accordingly the demand was accepted, at present @-k the municipality pays only Rs. 5 for 1000 litres of water.

To cater the drinking water needs of the public, the municipality has

made several arrangements. It has installed 78 single taps and 17 double taps

in the various streets. Besides 1814 water supply connection have been given

for domestic purposes. There are also 93 non-domestic and industrial water

supply connections.

90

Further, the municipality has also taken a few steps to supply drinking

water to the places where there is no possibility for installing water supply

taps. For instance the municipality has 3 lorries to supply drinking water.

During 1999 Thiruvottiyur Municipality has got Rs. 5 lakhs as grant from the

commissioner of municipalities and installed 35 syntax drinking water tanks.

Most of them were installed in N.T. Kuppam and Ennore Express Road where

the ground water was polluted due to sea erosion and salination. Similarly, 50

deep bore well have been rigged and hand pumps were installed.

Since Thiruvottiyur is a sub-urban town and located ir! between the

Chennai city and Ennore-Manali industrial belt, the population is increasing,

as more extended area and more urban settlements are increasing. Hence, a

number of new fringe colonies and residential areas are coming up. In these

places, proper drinking water facilities cannot be made immediately. On the

war footing, the municipality supplies daily 12000 litres drinking water to

these areas through Syntax tanks installed in these areas. Apart from this, the

municipality has also taken steps to install more then 1000-hand pumps in

these areas.

Anyhow, the efforts of the municipality to provide adequate drinking

water to the people living in various parts of Thiruvottiyur municipality still

remains a Herculean task. The demand for potable water is one of the

challenging problems of Thiruvottiyur municipality. This problem can be well

9 1

understood from the photograph$that explain the drinking water scarcity in

Thiruvottiyur area.

Drainage Scheme -. /-__1

During 1970's the Thiruvottiyur municipality prepared the under

ground drainage scheme and it was sanctioned by the Government of Tamil

Nadu (G.O. Ms. No 1687) public works department, dated 28.08.72. The

scheme was divided into three parts and started in June 1975. It was

completed by Tamil Nadu Water and Drainage Board in January 1987 and

handed over to the municipality. The T.W.A.D Board has also developed a

grass garden with drainage water and the municipality is maintaining it. 4866

underground drainage house connections have been made ro serve the

houses

During 1999-2000 a number of underground drainage systems were

repaired and maintained under the fund received from the M.L.A.

Development Fund. A total of Rs. 177.07 lakhs have been estimated to

maintain and improve underground drainage system in the municipal area of

Thiruvottiyur. However, the municipality feels that it is huge amount that it

cannot mobilise for the improvement of drainage system. As far as the

drainage system is concerned, it is becoming one of the irritating problems for

both the public and the municipali@. The problems arising out of

underground drainage are numerous. First drainage system functioning in the

Thiruvottiyur municipal area is more than twenty years old.

Before two decades, the population of the Thiruvottiyur municipality

was not even half of the present 2.25 lakhs. Further two decades before, the

93

were narrower. So, at the time the drainage system and manholes

constructed were remained in one or the other side of the roads or the streets

but at present, as the roads and streets were widened and developed, the

manholes now remain in the middle of the roads and streets. Not only that

the capacity to cope with the increasing volume of drainage suffer from

stagnation and over flowing. The complaint books available with the

information centre of Thiruvottiyur municipality provides the fact that no

single day went without a complaint about drainage repair and over-flowing

of drainage system. The pitiable condition of drainage system in Thiruvottiyur

can be visualised from the photograph seen below.

Sanitation and Conservancy

Next to drainage problem, garbage cleaning and cleaning of the

refused thing, industrial waste prevails as the critical problem. The

Government has proposed to initiate steps to take up effective measures to

collect 100% garbage daily in the municipality and convert the garbage into

compost and also arrange for its safe disposal. The Government also making

efforts to provide modern technology and infrastructure facility including

vehicles for transport of garbage and improvement in the compost yard.

Further, the Government also proposed to secure land for ditmping yard in

municipalities, which do not have a proper dumping ground or where the

existing one is inadequate. A sum of Rs.1.75 crores is earmarked for acquiring

land for dumping yard in municipalities during 2000-2001 under part I1

schemes. In urban local bodies, the solid waste management services can be

effectively performed only if its administration is to be made fully responsible

for ensuring 100 percent collection of waste by proper monitoring and special

efforts.

Among the obligatory functions of municipality, sanitation and solid

waste management appears to be more crucial, as it affects the total health

management of municipal areas.

Thiruvottiyur has 21.42 sq.km of topography in its conservancy work.

For the proper maintenance of sanitation work in the municipality, the

Thiruvottiyur municipality is maintaining the following vehicles.

9 5

Table 3.7 showing the number and types of vehicles

maintained by the Thiruvottiyur municipality.

I 2. I garbage ~ o r y I 10 I

SI.No.

1.

Types of Vehicles

Garbage Tractor

3.

4.

To keep Thiruvottiyur as a litter free zone, Thiruvottiyur municipality

Total No.

1

5.

6.

has constructed nearly 50 garbage collection houses, but the public are not

Drainage Lony

Bullock Cart

properly dump the garbages in the garbage houses. Generally, health

3

24

Drainage Vehicle

Drinking Water

consciousness of the people is not towards cleanliness. Though the

2

3

municipality claims that 10 garbage lorries and 24 bullock carts are at the

service for collecting and disposing garbages, it is interesting to note that half

of the vehicles are not in proper conditions. Besides, it is also found while

interviewing the sanitary workers that the strength of sanital): workers is not in

proportion to the area that they have to cover daily. Hence, the sanitary

workers visit only in alternate day. Few respondents those who are frequently

visiting Chennai city suggest that sanitary and conservancy work must be

undertaken by a private concern, like Chennai Environment Services. In this

connection the municipal councils has requested a few industrial houses

located in Thiruvottiyur area to undertake sanitary and conservancy work, so

96

,, to maintain cleanliness in Thiruvottiyur area. The following photograph

shows the conservancy works in Thiruvottiyur Municipality.

~isposal of Solid Waste and Drainage water.

It shall be the duty of the council to keep any public place clean and

remove the solid wastes by providing solid waste respectable in proper and

convenient places and dispose of such solid waste by dumping at places

notified by the council within or without the municipal limit.

Whether no proper drainage system is provided for in the municipal

limit or in any part thereof, the council may make necessay arrangements to

collect such drainage water and dispose of the same in such manner as may

be determined by the council. All solid wastes, rubbish;other materials

collected by the municipality shall be the property of the municipality.

Every municipality shall identify and notify suitable land within or

without the municipal area for the purpose of final disposal of solid wastes.

While notifying the places under subsection the council shall have due regard

to the following factors, namely;

a ) Sources generating garbage; health and environmental aspects.

b) The facilities for preparation of compost manure and disposal

of the same, by sale.

c) Where preparation of compost manure is not feasible or

practicable, sanitary land-till methods shall be adopted by the

municipality, for the disposal of solid waste at the land-till sites

in the council. 9.

d) Incineration of solid waste may be resorted to by the

municipality for the disposal of infectious waste generated from

the hospitals, nursing homes or health care centres and non

industrial hazardous waste that may be specified by the council

from time to time.

e) The feasibility of levying special charges from any persons or

authority in charge of buildings from which the garbage,solid ___. -.-

waste, industrial hazardous or infectious waste collected.

The above observation clearly indicates the municipal council has

exclusive control over the solid waste management process. But in

Thiruvottiyur municipality less attention is paid towards this issue. According

to 1999-2000 administrative report, there are 292 small and large scale --. -

registered industries and more than 500 unregistered small industrial units are

functioning in this area. Everyday these industrial units reject a huge amount

of solid waste and untreated drainage water, which pollutes the environment.

It is found that the municipal council has not taken any concrete steps to

establish a compost yard, a source of revenue for the Thiruvottiyur

municipality. Instead it spends a huge amount and energy for collecting the

garbage and disposing it. The following photographs shows a site &re -. a solid

waste and chemical rejects are dumped, which remains a dangerous

environmentally polluted and disease prone area in the Ennore Express Road f '

of Thiruvottiyur. The following p h o t o g r a p p h ~ ~ s the solid waste site.

Public Convenience

Thiruvottiyur municipality maintains two pay and use public

Convenience~Through leasing these two facilities Thiruvottiyur municipality I

gets nearly Rs.41390 as income. However, every council member demands

that more public conveniences must be build in their wards to maintain

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cleaner environment. It was found through the perusal of the resolution

proposed in the agenda of several meeting of the council that construction of

public convenience are most frequently proposed. The municipality also

accepted such demands and thinking of constructing a number of public

conveniences under the National Slum Development Scheme, M.L.A. and

M.P constituency development funds. The subsequent photograph shows a

public convenience build under the M.L.A. constituency development fund of

Thiru. T.C. Vijayan, an M.L.A of Thiruvottiyur at 27" ward, Lakshmipuram.

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END NOTES

The facts and figures used in this chapter have been collected from the

Thiruvottiyur Municipal Records, which include:

1. Annual Administrative Report of Thiruvottiyur Municipality for the

years 1995 - 2000.

2. Comparative Annual Statement of Accounts - Income and

Expenditure of Thiruvottiyur Municipality for the years 1995 - 2000.

3. Agenda Reports of the Municipal Council. 1996 - 2000.

4. Census of India, Chengulput District, Tamil Nadu Part 11-A,

Series - 20, 1991, P. 28.