Sources said, what galled locals was that though a contractor was fixed and work orders issued in 2018, the contractor refused to start work till the local body paid out the Rs 2 crore due to him.

Though G Suresh Kumar, president of the town Congress committee personally intervened and tried to convince him to take up the work, the contractor refused to budge saying the local body normally promise to pay and then go back on their words. When Congress issued the planting ultimatum, Municipal Commissioner Nityanandam intervened and requested Suresh Kumar not to make the issue big as he would undertake the necessary repairs.

“It is annoying to know that the local body which did not pay the contractor claiming it was strapped for cash is now willing to do the work itself when locals threatened to agitate,” Suresh Kumar told DT Next.

“Though the streets were dug up for the Cauvery drinking water scheme initially, the portions were not closed properly resulting in pedestrians and two-wheeler riders taking a tumble in the huge potholes 

especially on hospital street and Islamiah higher secondary school street. Also, the broken small footbridges in the BSNL office street and Tiru Vi Ka streets were never repaired despite repeated demands,” he added.

Former Councilor Meera G Saleem said: “When we threatened to agitate on Wednesday, civic officials asked for time and that is why we have postponed the agitation to Monday. If by then no action is taken then we will agitate as the issue concerns all local people.”