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Parks and other public facilities given the names of leaders without the approval of the Chennai Corporation Council will be renamed, including the one named after former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on New Farrens Road at Pattalam.

The Corporation plans to remove unauthorised name boards from parks and similar civic facilities, Mayor Saidai S. Duraisamy informed the Council on Friday.

Mr.Duraisamy asked councillors to bring to the civic body’s attention public facilities bearing unauthorised names in all the 200 wards spread across the city’s 426-sq km area.

Responding to a question by a councillor, who raised a doubt whether proper council approval was obtained for naming a park in her ward, Mr. Duraisamy said, “We do not have any record of the council giving approval for naming Karunanidhi Park on New Farrens Road in ward 76 of zone VI.”

“Names that are found to have been given by some individuals without the Council’s proper approval will be removed,” said Mr. Duraisamy.

Apart from this park, unauthorised names of civic facilities such as community welfare centres and gymnasiums will be removed, he added. The Corporation will take the initiative to name such civic facilities in a proper manner and the park on New Farrens Road will be given a new name, the Mayor assured the councillor.

The councillor earlier lamented that the park was not named after Periyar or Thiru.Vi. Ka, whose statues are on the premises.

“Did the Corporation Council approve the name of the DMK leader or did the DMK members name it on their own,” the AIADMK councillor asked.

According to Corporation officials, the name of a civic facility is approved by council resolution and the government gives its concurrence later.

Many facilities have been given names by local politicians without informing officials.

Credit: The Hindu