Urban News

Source : The Hindu Date : 13.06.2009

Clean city drive: NCC cadets to help municipal staff

Staff Reporter

— Photo: Lingaraj Panda

ON A MISSION: NCC Commanding Officer Surendra Nath addressing his colleagues in Berhampur on Friday.

BERHAMPUR: The NCC cadets of the city would now help the city municipal corporation keep the city clean and join hands with city police to streamline the traffic.

The Commanding Officer of the second Orissa battalion of the NCC in Berhampur, Lt. Col. Surendra Nath said the NCC cadets of the city would be utilised for the civic works for their personality development. “It would make them aware of their duties towards society and keep them away from bad habits that affect the sanitation of an area,” he said.

After taking charge this week, Lt. Col. Nath met the in-charge Commissioner of the municipal corporation regarding sorting out of areas where the NCC cadets could be used to take up sanitation drive. He said that the Ramlingam tank was earmarked for cleaning in the first phase. The large tank, which is called the breathing space of the crowded city, was not cleaned since years due to legal hassles. It has now become a garbage dump.

Mr. Nath also said that the NCC cadets would also be used to educate people about public urination and defecation in the city.

There were around 3500 NCC cadets, who can be utilised for civic duties during their holidays, Lt. Col. Nath said.

“Usually people cannot deny or sideline the requests of young students and we want to use it for the betterment of the city. It has also been decided to use NCC cadets in traffic management during their holidays.”

Source : The Hindu Date : 12.06.2009

Project to prevent water logging on anvil

Staff Reporter

KOCHI: A project for preventing water logging in the city is awaiting government clearance, Mayor Mercy Williams informed the Kochi Corporation Council on Thursday.

Replying to the debate in the council meeting, Ms. Williams said tenders had been floated for the Rs. 16.6-crore work. The project covering 19 major drains and six canals would go a long way in addressing the water logging in the city, she said.

Many councillors had complained about water logging in the city during the monsoon.

The civic body had cleaned 104-km-long drains in the city before April 30. The de-clogging and removal of silt are progressing in major canals, Deputy Mayor C.K. Manisankar said.

Ms. Williams said the 13 railway culverts in the city have been causing considerable water logging. Though the civic authorities had repeatedly requested the Railways to deepen and widen these culverts, it has not responded. It had also failed to remove the silt that has accumulated in the drains, leading to heavy water logging in some parts of the city, Ms. Williams said.

The areas that have been hit due to the inaction of the Railway are Karikkamuri, areas near the KSRTC bus stand, Pullepady, Kalathiparambu, Paramara road, Ponnurunni, Elamakara and Atlantis, she said.

Budget presentation

The Mayor blamed the Public Works Department for failing to construct a drain from Kaloor-Kadavanthra road to Perandur canal and Kaloor-Perandur road to Perandur canal. This has led to water logging in Kaloor and adjoining areas, she said.

The annual budget of the corporation will be presented during the last week of June, said Mr. Manisankar.

The presentation of the budget had to be postponed as the election code of conduct was in force till May 28. The Election Commission had imposed several restrictions on the civic body which had affected the routine works like clearing and de-silting of drains, he said.

Rare gesture

In a rare gesture, the Council meeting felicitated its Secretary Mini Antony, who will take charge as the District Collector of Alappuzha on Monday. Ms. Antony had been instrumental in getting many of the infrastructure projects cleared for the city, including the projects sanctioned by the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission and some foreign agencies.

She had also motivated and guided the team of civic officials in the efforts to get more projects cleared for Kochi, Ms. Williams said.

The Mayor presented a memento to Ms. Antony at the council meeting.

A.B. Sabu, K.R. Premakumar, K.J. Antony, Lailamma George, K.N. Sunilkumar, K.J. Sohan, T.K. Ashraf, N. Venugopal, V.K. Thankaraj and K.V.P. Krishnakumar were among those who took part in the discussions.