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E-Governance

Now upload photos on civic neglect in localities

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Deccan Chronicle              11.09.2013

Now upload photos on civic neglect in localities

Chennai: Chennaiites will soon have to work on their photographic skills as the Chen­nai corporation has introduced a new scheme in which people can upload photos of the state of conservancy activities.

The new system named “Rate your conservancy” launched by the corporation will also enable people to rate conservancy works in their area from a range of ‘poor’, ‘average’, ‘fair’, ‘good’ and ‘very good’. Residents can access the facility which is available on Chennai corporation website (www.chennaicorporation.gov.in).

“Based on responses from the public, action will be taken. If the ratings are good the particular zone will be awarded the ‘best zone’ on a weekly basis to improve the mechanism,” said a Corporation official at Ripon buildings.

“So far the corporation has been awarding ratings every week based on internal rating and monitoring,” the official noted. “Si­m­ilarly photos of unkempt roads, overflowing garbage bins, dustbin conditions, debris removal, water table clearing, centre median dusting and other issues can also be uploaded,” he added.

“This method can be fruitful for the city’s cleanliness but its success depends on how frequently people use it,” said J.D. Thomas, a resident of Taramani. “At the same time, officials concerned must also react immediately to the responses of people so that we are benefited,” he added. The system will be applicable to all fifteen zones present in the city.

“Many garbage bins across the city are overflowing. If this scheme works, many health hazards can be prevented,” said S. Suganraj, a resident of Washermanpet.

 

Corporation plans digitised monitoring of OSR lands

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The Hindu            07.09.2013

Corporation plans digitised monitoring of OSR lands

V.S. Palaniappan

The lands are meant for creation of public utility infrastructure

In an effort aimed at ending the abuse or usurping of Open Space Reservation (OSR) lands, the Corporation is creating a digitised data bank of layouts and OSR lands.

At present, whenever an OSR land needs to be identified, the officials seek time to refer to the layout plan, files.

This was proving to be a time-consuming affair. Law demands earmarking 10 per cent of the land as OSR whenever a layout plan was submitted for approval of a layout with more than 37 cents of land. OSR is meant for creation of public utility infrastructure such as parks, shops, parking space and community hall.

Corporation Commissioner G. Latha and Deputy Commissioner S. Sivarasu have planned to use the Autocad method for digitising the layout maps and indicate the OSR lands there. As on date, Corporation records indicate existence of 1,180 OSR lands but practically there would have to be more than 1,500 lands, official sources said.

Town Planning Department officials have been instructed to identify and list the number of OSR lands on the basis of one ward per week.

With 100 wards in five zones, the officials were confident of completing the task of identifying the layouts and the OSR lands therein within 20 weeks.

The process of identifying the layouts and the OSR lands will translate into placing of boards by the Corporation cautioning people to refrain from buying or selling such lands. Next step would be to upload the same in the website and indicate the OSRs, so that the prospective buyers could exercise some caution and refrain from buying OSR lands.

Next step would be to resort to removal of encroachments to restore the OSR lands and ensure their availability for creation of infrastructure for public utility purposes.

Once the database is created, Corporation would get into a mode for restoring these lands encroached upon by land sharks over a period of time, officials said.

 

Surveillance cameras to be installed

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The Hindu              30.08.2013

Surveillance cameras to be installed

Special Correspondent

Government order on installing cameras at public places to be implemented

The Tiruchirapalli City Corporation, in consultation with the police, will soon install surveillance cameras across the city. The proposal was cleared by the Corporation Council at an urgent meeting chaired by Mayor A. Jaya on Thursday.

An official resolution, which was approved by the council, did not give out too many details on the proposal except to point out that the State government had ordered the installation of surveillance cameras at public buildings, commercial complexes, and places of public congregation to check crimes. As a follow up, the Commissioner of Police has requested the civic body to fix the cameras.

The corporation will call for tenders soon to fix closed circuit television cameras in places specified by the city police in each of the four zones. The contractors will be vested with the task of maintaining the cameras for three years subject to the conditions and specifications laid down by the corporation and the police. Agencies given the contract would be allowed to advertise at places of their choice, subject to government regulations, and approval of the District Collector.

Responding to a question from MDMK councillor, M. Mohamed Mustafa, Commissioner V.P. Thandapani said the locations where the cameras were to be installed would be placed before the council for its approval.

M. Anbazhagan, DMK, pointed out that a similar attempt to install surveillance cameras in some places had proved to be an eyesore as they were erected atop a series of poles and urged the officials to ensure that the mistake was not repeated.

The council gave its nod for introducing a licence system for private tanker lorries engaged in cleaning septic tanks and disposing wastewater in the city. All such private sewage tankers would soon require licences. The civic body would charge an annual licence fee of Rs. 2,000 a vehicle and Rs.30 a trip for letting out the waste water at the Panchapur sewage farm. Sewage lorries operating without licence would attract a penalty of Rs. 5,000 and the vehicles would be seized if they were caught for the offence for the third time.

 


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