‘Poll-tricks’: People’s issues resolved at rapid pace

Recently, Pollution Control Minister KC Karupannan, when canvassing votes at Konavattam in Vellore asked the voters if they had any grievance. When they said a blocked drain was not cleaned for years, despite repeated petitions, Karupannan immediately called up the Corporation officials over phone and soon the local body officials arrived to do the needful.

According to former Konavattam town panchayat president S Thirunavukarasu, “Only now we feel that the government is working and it has made both the public and party men happy. We can now ask for votes without fearing any backlash due to such issues.”

Similarly, when School Education Minister KA Sengottaiyan was canvassing in Vellore, locals showed him notices issued by the DMK, which said that they would help the people by reducing the hike effected by the local body on house and water up to six times.

Sengottaiyan told voters they need not pay soon as the state Assembly would initiate action to lower the taxes. He also informed Municipal Administration Minister SP Velumani, who told the public that the hiked rates need not be paid. “If you have already paid we will take action to adjust it accordingly in future house tax and water tax bills,” he added.

But what made the residents happy was that the Minister also pulled up the corporation officials on the spot for this “blunder” demanding to know how and why both taxes were raised specially when an important election was inthe offing.

“The August 5 elections are a God sent opportunity to use Ministers to redress pending civic issues,” said Jayabarathy, a housewife in Konavattam. “Otherwise, we cannot even get officials to listen to our grievances,” said Kamala, anotherresident.