{ முகநூல் கருத்துக்கள்}{ட்விட்டர் கருத்துக்கள்}

Resignation of the Chairman of Kayalpatnam Municipality Mr.Wavoo S. Abdur Rahman - followed swiftly by the retraction of the resignation - did come as a surprise. Relationship between the Chairman and some of the Councillors has been tense right from the beginning. Though a vote of no-confidence against the Chairman was predicted, that the Chairman himself would offer his resignation was not expected. It now seems - some social organisations have persuaded the Chairman to withdraw his resignation and he had duly done so.

Whatever be the provocation - to offer resignation in the first place - without the intention or the will to actually resign - doesn't give a good picture about the Chairman. That many of the Councillors are going to be unco-operative was clear right from the day Chairman assumed office. He admitted so much in the Interview he gave Kayalpatnam.com few months back. He should have clearly prepared himself to face and fight the errant Councillors. He was actually nominated by the Kayalpatnam Aikiya Jamath for that purpose only - as someone with the financial background and experience - to withstand all pressures. And to offer that pressure as the reason for his resignation doesn't sound convincing at all. There are four more years to go and one hopes the Chairman really intends to serve that long.

Being in public service doesn't actually mean just giving out a few ideas and signing a few papers. One must be prepared to work in the field, soil one's hands, take brickbats, listen to the public and show leadership. If the Chairman is serious and confident that there are corrupt councillors and officials in the Municipality, he must go ahead and expose them. Municipality Board has a vigilance cell. The Chairman could ask the government to investigate the corrupt councillors and officials.

The failure to elect honest councillors is the collective failure of us - the people of Kayalpatnam. That the elections are going to be held towards end of 2006 - was known in 2001 itself. Kayalpatnam Aikiya Jamath acted very late to begin the process of consulting various jamaths on the nominees for the 2006 election. The next election to the Municipality is due in 2011. People of Kayalpatnam must start preparing for those elections well in advance and ensure only honest, capable and incorruptible men and women are elected to the Municipality.

Corrupt councillors are only part of the problem. There are corrupt officials and corrupt contractors. Unless we start addressing those aspects too, Corruption in Kayalpatnam Municipality will continue to flourish.