Fri Jan 31 01:04:23 IST 2025: ## Chennai Councillors Clash with Officials Over Absenteeism and Reassigned Works
**Chennai, January 31, 2025** – A heated debate erupted at a Chennai Corporation Council meeting on Thursday, January 30th, as councillors voiced strong concerns over officials’ frequent absenteeism from crucial meetings and the reassignment of departmental responsibilities without proper consultation.
Councillor T.V. Shemmozhi of Ward 104 highlighted the difficulties in reaching the Commissioner and Mayor, often unavailable due to other commitments. He noted that grievances are frequently relayed only to their assistants. He cited the absence of Revenue Divisional Commissioners (RDCs) from four standing committee meetings and the Chief Education Officer’s brief attendance before leaving for a summons from the Commissioner. Shemmozhi also pointed to unresolved concerns stemming from these absences, affecting tender processes, project implementation, and creating disagreements. He suggested reinstating weekly public meetings, similar to those held during M.K. Stalin’s tenure as Mayor, to address these issues.
Deputy Mayor M. Magesh Kumaar emphasized the importance of officials’ attendance and responsiveness to councillors’ concerns, suggesting that meetings should be adjourned if officials are absent. Mayor R. Priya acknowledged the problem, stating that scheduled meetings are notified, but the continued absenteeism is unacceptable.
A significant point of contention was the reassignment of the Parks and Playfields Department to the Works Committee without consultation with the relevant standing committee, as alleged by Standing Committee Chairman (Education) Viswanathan. He further claimed a lack of response to his queries about heavy-duty trucks and taxation gaps. Commissioner J. Kumaragurubaran responded that the reassignment was a decision made by the Commissioner or Mayor, and that relevant files would be submitted to the committees. He explained the shift was due to the workload, and insisted it wasn’t intended to bypass committees. N. Chitrarasu, Chairman of the Standing Committee (Works), while acknowledging similar past instances, highlighted the lack of consultation and the limited information provided to his committee regarding parks and playfields.
Councillor K. Kannan of Ward 138 raised concerns about complaints filed through the public grievance system, suggesting that verification is needed before action is taken to avoid issues from people outside the ward impacting local residents.
The meeting underscores significant tensions between Chennai’s elected representatives and its administrative officials, raising questions about the effectiveness of the city’s governance.
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