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Rs 4.8 crore planned for garden beautification

Friday, 22 November 2013 10:33 administrator
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The Times of India      22.11.2013

Rs 4.8 crore planned for garden beautification

AURANGABAD: The standing committee of the cash-strapped Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) in its meeting on Friday is all set to finalise an agency for carrying out beautification work of a garden and installation of at least 18 statues of great personalities in it at an estimated cost of Rs 4.8 crore. The project — Sant Shrushti Park — has been on the cards for the past one-and-a-half years.

Executive engineer Sikander Ali said the project was already approved by the general body on February 18, 2012, and accordingly funds worth Rs 5 crore had been earmarked in the budget of 2012-13. "Moreover, the project will be completed in different phases and the entire fund would not be required in one go. It may take 2-3 years for the completion of the project and funds will be released as and when required," he said.

Under the project, the civic body will construct a periphery wall, undertake landscaping work and install statues on 1.3 lakh square feet area owned by it. Justifying the project, Ali said all projects of public utility were essential. "It's true that improvement of city roads is one of the biggest concerns of the civic body. However, we cannot ignore other projects like this," he said.

Meanwhile, social activist Shrikant Umrikar criticised the municipal corporation's plan to install the statues at a time when the AMC is struggling to carry out even minor repair works and provide basic civic amenities. "Roads are in pathetic condition, drainage system is in bad shape and there is no financial help from the state or central governments. In such a situation, the AMC should not pour money on parks or gardens. There are other works on which the civic body should concentrate. It is high time for the civic body to set its priority," he said.

Umrikar also accused the civic body of not maintaining facilities developed by it. "The AMC spends money at the time of implementing the projects, but when it comes to providing money for regular maintenance, it takes a back seat. Many parks, auditoriums and libraries are examples of poor maintenance," he added. 

 

City to lose 154 big trees

Thursday, 21 November 2013 11:41 administrator
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The Times of India            21.11.2013

City to lose 154 big trees

NAGPUR: The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has approved the cutting of 154 big trees. The tree authority approved the proposal recently. Permission had been granted to cut down 375 big trees on January 31 and April 30, taking the total to 529 trees cut in this calendar year. The destruction of city's greenery is set to continue, with one more proposal seeking permission to cut 105 trees on the agenda at the next meeting.

Not surprisingly, most number of trees will be chopped in West Nagpur, which is the greenest area of the city. The tree authority headed by municipal commissioner Shyam Wardhane approved 14 of total 16 proposals seeking permissions to cut down 154 big trees at its on November 8.

The state public works department's integrated project unit will cut down 82 big trees, including 63 to construct the building of hotel management and catering technology college in the premises of government polytechnic at Sadar, and 19 trees to construct a VIP Rest House at Mata Kacheri in Vasant Nagar.

The trees to be brought down include mango, almond, neem, ashoka, subabul, cassia, peepal etc. The department will have to first ensure plantation of 410 plants before cutting down the big trees.

The Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital, also known as Mayo hospital, will cut down 30 big trees in its premises, including mango, peepal, neem, babul, wad, rain tree etc. The hospital proposes to construct a 250-bedded hospital, boys hostel etc on the land presently occupied by these trees.

The South-East Central Railway too proposes to chop down 19 big trees for construction of project related to sewage treatment at its workshop at Motibagh near Kadbi Chowk.

Nine big trees, including six teak trees, will be cut down by a private firm to construct a township on Umrer Road. Corporator and member of tree authority Sunil Agrawal has recommended the proposal after inspecting the spot.

According to details in the agenda, the tree authority kept two proposals pending, including the proposal to cut down 105 big trees at Juni Barud Factory, Teka Naka. According to the proposal, private developer Dwarka Developers has proposed a group housing scheme on the land comprising such large number of trees including neem, subabul, chichbhilai, katori etc.

A senior NMC official told TOI the proposal was kept pending for inspection of the trees. "105 trees is a huge number so a site inspection is required. The applicant will have to ensure plantation of 1,050 plants, 10 saplings for each big tree, to get permission. Applicant will also have to submit security deposit of Rs11.02 lakh," he said.

 

Civic body starts traffic island beautification

Saturday, 16 November 2013 10:27 administrator
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The Times of India           16.11.2013

Civic body starts traffic island beautification

KOLHAPUR: If the civic body has its way, the city might soon have a better landscape with the Kolhapur Municipal Corporation (KMC) starting beautification of traffic islands and the statues on the plots.

As part of the beautification programme, the KMC has identified five traffic islands - Dasara Chowk, Aai Maharaj Chowk, Rajaram Maharaj Putala Chowk, Tararani Putala Chowk and Kasbekar Putala Chowk. The work at the Dasara Chowk has already started.

The KMC took the decision after the private entities that had initially approached the civic body for the work but only to withdraw later, refusing responsibility for the maintenance of the traffic islands after developing those.

City engineer Netradip Sarnobat said, "We have allotted funds for the beautification of the traffic islands and the statues at five places. We have started the work at Dasara Chowk. Apart from landscaping, other necessary infrastructure would also be in place at these facilities. We have planned fountains and patches of grass at the traffic islands." The KMC has made a budgetary provision of Rs 20 lakh for the beautification work of these traffic islands.

There are about 12 traffic islands in the city and all of them have statues of various leaders. The KMC, owing to paucity of funds, had sought proposals from the private players to develop the traffic islands. It got response from various private enterprises to develop eight traffic islands.

"According to the terms and conditions, it was mandatory for the private players to maintain the traffic islands for 10 years since their development. The enterprises were supposed to pay electricity and water bills for the electrification and fountains, respectively. However, the firms said they would only develop the traffic islands and it would be the civic body's responsibility to maintain those," sub-divisional engineer Nirmale M N said.

The KMC, however, refused to accept their proposal and allotted funds for the work in this year's budget. In 2002, the civic body had taken a similar initiative and the traffic island at Shiroli Naka was developed. But it was later removed as the road stretch came under the road development project undertaken by Ideal Road Builders.

"In the agreement made with the Ideal Road Builders as part of the integrated road development project, the work of junction improvement was its responsibility. But the work has not yet started," a civic official said on condition of anonymity. The road junctions that were supposed to be developed by the IRB were the University Chowk, Dasara Chowk, Rajaram Putala Chowk and the SIBER Chowk.
Last Updated on Saturday, 16 November 2013 10:29
 
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