Backward Classes Minister V. Sampath Kumar flagging off five mechanised road-cleaning machines launched by the Coimbatore Corporation at the R.S.
Puram auditorium on Friday. | Photo Credit: PERIASAMY M Five small mechanised road-cleaning machines, purchased at a cost of ₹1.98 crore, were launched for use by the Coimbatore Corporation on Friday (November 6, 2026). Minister for Backward Classes Welfare V.
Sampath Kumar flagged off the machines at the Corporation’s R.S. Puram auditorium.Each machine costs ₹39.60 lakh and can clean up to 40 km of roads in eight hours at a speed of 5 km an hour.
They are designed to clean major roads, flyovers and narrow stretches with central dividers, and are equipped with a hydraulic mechanism to lift and discharge the waste collected.The Minister also distributed prizes to the Corporation’s five zones for their performance in a 12-day dengue prevention and cleanliness drive conducted from October 23 to November 4. The zones collectively removed 28,78,563 potential mosquito-breeding sources.
The West Zone secured the first place with 8,42,032 sources removed, followed by the Central Zone (7,94,779), North Zone (5,21,198), East Zone (3,90,239) and South Zone (3,30,315). The zones received cash-equivalent prizes of ₹10,000, ₹5,000, ₹3,000, ₹2,000 and ₹1,000, respectively, in the form of firecracker boxes.Mr.
Sampath Kumar also distributed uniform sets to 10 permanent conservancy workers as a symbolic launch of the Corporation’s initiative to provide uniforms to 1,822 permanent workers, including 1,168 men and 654 women, at a total cost of ₹76.20 lakh. The sets comprise shirts and trousers or sarees and blouses, caps, shoes, socks and raincoats.Earlier, the Minister inaugurated an artificial-turf box cricket ground established at the Nehru Stadium at a cost of ₹46.69 lakh.At the District Collectorate, he distributed bank loans totalling ₹92.01 crore to 618 self-help groups.
He also interacted with students pursuing higher education at a programme organised jointly by the district administration and the School Education Department and distributed sweets to them.Speaking to reporters, Mr. Sampath Kumar said that appropriate action would be taken on the controversy surrounding the books at Periyar Arivulagam after ascertaining the facts.On the alleged disparity in the cost of bicycles procured for students, he said that the prices displayed on e-commerce platforms were not comparable with the actual procurement prices, adding that no additional costs were paid beyond the procurement price.District Collector Pavankumar G.
Giriyappanavar, Sulur MLA N.M. Sukumar, Corporation Commissioner Katta Ravi Teja, and other officials participated in the events.
Published - November 06, 2026 07:47 pm IST