AP Poornima, a physician by profession and Councillor of Ward 87 in Chennai, says she was always drawn to politics. Her political journey began early, starting as a class leader in school and later becoming a student councillor in college. “It has always been my passion to enter politics,” she says.
“Gone are the days when only people with less educational qualifications made politics their career. Many youngsters get the opportunity to contest in elections these days and I see it as a good sign,” she adds.
Ward 87
- Name of Councillor: Dr AP Poornima
- Party: DMK
- Age: 32
- Educational Qualification: MBBS MD
- Contact: 9445467087 / 8925442227
Read more: Chennai Councillor Talk: Niranjana champions girls’ education in Ward 51
Excerpts from an interview:
Primary goals for Ward 87
What are your primary achievements after taking over as Councillor of Ward 87?
We have two primary schools and one middle school in Ward 87 of Chennai. I have improved the school infrastructure after I became a Councillor. As a result, the student strength has doubled from around 40 to 86 in primary schools alone. Currently, I am working towards upgrading the middle school to a high school. I believe that education can bring major changes in society, so I am focusing on improving the school infrastructure at the grassroots level.
How do you interact with the constituents of your ward? What kind of outreach activities have you held so far?
We have a WhatsApp group in which my constituents share their grievances. Nearly all the constituents of this ward have my official and personal numbers. They also know my ward office and home. There are times I receive grievance calls at 2 am.
How have you used your Ward Development Fund of Rs 35 lakhs apart from the earlier mentioned road works?
I used the funds to improve the two parks in Ward 87. We see most of the youngsters glued to their phones these days. To draw them away from their phones, I have improved the parks in my ward. I have also used my funds to build two classrooms in the schools in my ward. As I said earlier, improving educational facilities is my focus.
Read more: Chennai Councillor Talk: Rathika aims to resolve long-standing patta issues in Ward 174
Issues in Ward 87
What are the major issues in Ward 87? What measures have you taken to address them?
Ward 87 in Chennai falls under two major areas – Padi and Korattur. The major issue in Padi is that many areas do not have underground drainage (UGD) connections even after being annexed by the Greater Chennai Corporation. After I became the Councillor, I have taken steps to bring in the UGD connections in many of these areas. In Korattur, flooding is a major issue. By the end of my tenure, I hope to solve these issues fully.
One of the key issues pointed out by the residents of Ward 87 in Chennai is traffic congestion. As a councillor of Ward 87, what have you done to address the issue?
The roads are very small in Ward 87. Padi flyover is a place where you can find heavy traffic congestion. However, road expansion works are underway. The land acquisition process is also going on for the road expansion. The traffic congestion will ease once we construct a six-lane road.
Flooding is another major issue in Ward 87. What measures have been taken to restore the water bodies like TVS Lucas Canal in your ward?
The jurisdiction of Ward 87 stops at Korattur Police Station. The water from different wards reaches Ward 84, which is then discharged into Ward 87. This is the main cause of flooding in this ward. To address this issue, we plan to divert the water from the TVS canal towards the Padikuppam canal to reduce the load in the TVS canal and minimise flooding. We expect the project to be completed in two years.
Recent news pointed out that only two wards in Chennai have formed the Child Protection Committees as per the government order from the Social Welfare Department. Why have you not been able to form the said committee?
We have not received any such complaints so far in Ward 87. Given that the committees have to be formed based on the GO, I will take measures to do that.
Vision for Ward 87
What do you hope to achieve in your term as Councillor?
I hope Ward 87 has no more open drains, or flooding issues and I hope to upgrade the middle school into a high school.
What is your vision for Chennai?
I hope to see Chennai flood-free and free from traffic congestion.
What the residents of Ward 87 in Chennai say:
Lokesh P, a resident of Ward 87 says that traffic congestion is a major issue in their ward. Adding to the existing congestion in Padi flyover, the metro construction works have worsened the situation. The dust pollution has also increased because of the metro construction, he notes. He also added that many areas in Ambattur still have overhead electric cables. He urges the government to take action to bring underground electric cables.