Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) Minister Aadhav Arjun on Thursday, 14 May chaired a high-level constituency review meeting at the Shenoy Nagar Corporation Office in Villivakkam Assembly constituency, Chennai, directing officials to shut six liquor shops, eliminate contractor commissions, and strengthen women's safety mechanisms at police stations.

Key Directives from the Review Meeting

The meeting, convened under Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay's standing directive for ministers and MLAs to hold constituency-level reviews, brought together officials from departments covering drinking water, sanitation, revenue, police, and public works. Minister Aadhav Arjun said constituency issues had been classified into three broad segments to enable faster resolution and more structured monitoring.

Liquor Outlets and the Drug Menace

Among the most prominent concerns raised by women during the recent election campaign was the proliferation of liquor outlets in residential areas and the spread of drug abuse. Acting on these complaints, the minister has sought the immediate closure of six out of 11 Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) liquor outlets operating within the constituency, directing officials to treat the matter on a 'war footing'. Police have also been given full authority to crack down on the circulation of ganja and narcotics in the area.

Women's Safety and Police Accountability

Highlighting women's safety as a top priority, Aadhav Arjun instructed police officials to ensure transparency in complaint handling at police stations. He directed that all citizen complaints must be video-recorded to prevent disputes and establish accountability on both sides. The minister also ordered that closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance systems within police stations remain operational around the clock.

Zero-Tolerance Stand on Corruption

Aadhav Arjun issued a sharp warning to officials against accepting commissions in government contracts. 'Whether it is in the name of the party, the government, or even my own name, corruption will not be tolerated,' he said. He went further, declaring: 'In the past, there used to be a 43 per cent commission culture. What I am saying now is zero commission.' The statement signals a deliberate break from what the minister described as an entrenched contracting culture in the constituency.

Infrastructure and Education Plans

On civic matters, the minister directed that stormwater drain works across the constituency must be completed before September, ahead of the northeast monsoon season. He also asked officials to identify suitable land for establishing a new college in Villivakkam to improve higher education access for local students. All pending infrastructure tasks have been mapped under the three-segment monitoring framework for accountability.