Minister for Municipal Administration K.N. Nehru said the process of communal rotation in the newly-announced urban local bodies is progressing and wards in Corporations would be increased as per population in the local bodies.

Talking to presspersons at Salem, Mr. Nehru responded to a question regarding conducting elections to Corporation and said currently, ward delimitation and communal rotation processes are on in the newly-announced six Corporations and 29 Municipalities.

However, the Chief Minister had advised to conduct the polls at the earliest and officials are working towards it. The dates for elections will have to be announced by the State Election Commission, he said while adding that the party was ready to face local body elections.

On increasing the number of wards in existing Corporations, he said Wards would be divided in a Corporation as per its population. Corporations with a population up to 3 lakh, the local body would be split into 50-58 Wards, and for the ones with 3-5 lakh population, it would be split into 80 wards, and in corporations with more than 5 lakh population, at least 100 wards would be formed. In Chennai, there are 200 Wards, he said.

Mr. Nehru launched the desiltation of water channels at Silavari lake here and launched tree plantation activities for setting up urban forests at Vaikalpattarai. Mr. Nehru said for the next 10 days, water channels and stormwater drains would be desilted to prevent rainwater stagnation. He added that they have taken up 200 water bodies in Chennai for rejuvenation, and similar measures are being taken in other urban local bodies to rejuvenate water bodies that have been rendered useless.

Mr. Nehru said that 9,097 vehicles have been deployed for the cleaning works. He said 97,550 workers and 4,625 supervisors have been indulged for the purpose. New markets and bus stands would be developed at newly announced urban local bodies, he added.

He added the DPR was being prepared for desilting three canals in Chennai, including the Buckingham canal and Cooum river. Measures were taken to expedite UGD works and the recycling sewage water project in Chennai, he said. It would be extended to other places in a phased manner.

District Collector S. Karmegham, Salem Corporation Commissioner T. Christuraj, DMK legislator R. Rajendran, MP S.R. Parthibhan and other senior officials were present.