Resident's associations come together to float apex body

Trichy: Residents welfare associations (RWAs) from various parts of the city have come together and floated a new federation which aims to be an apex body to register the demands of residents, particularly civic issues, in a cohesive manner. The organisers of the federation said that the first-of-its- kind initiative in the city will bring together various welfare associations under a single roof for attracting the attention of authorities, particularly the Trichy corporation.

Named Federation of Trichy City Residents Welfare Associations (FTCRWA), its conveners had recently held a meeting near Chathiram bus stand inviting representatives from welfare associations in the city. With as many as 320 RWAs registered with Trichy corporation, office-bearers of the new federation claimed that 60 RWAs had joined the outfit while a few more had expressed their interest to be part of the body. They said the federation’s main purpose was to place demands pertaining to basic amenities and sanitation before authorities for quick redressal.

“RWAs mostly hailing from Ponmalai and Ariyamangalam zones have joined hands with us for now. More RWAs will be approached particularly in Srirangam and K Abishekapuram zones to make the federation represent grievances from all parts of the city,” S Sakthivel, convener of the federation, told TOI. Monthly discussions involving city RWAs have been planned by the federation to record the common and area-specific grievances that residents face and to include more RWAs under a single entity.

“Preventing sewage being let into freshwater bodies passing through the city is one of the key objectives of our federation. Apart from registering our grievances, the federation will also serve as a tool to help the welfare schemes of the civic body to reach all the residents,” Sakthivel added. The federation has elected six members as conveners for expanding their representation covering all 65 wards and four zones of Trichy corporation. The conveners said that one of the long-pending demands of Trichy for an integrated bus terminus to address the traffic congestion will be revived through their activities besides solving discrepancies in levying property tax by Trichy corporation.

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