The Hindu 01.10.2009
Corporation to convene meet on enforcing plastics ban
Special Correspondent
| Plastic carry bags are still used, alleges MDMK councillor |
“Corporation has prepared a detailed report for bringing water from Cauvery river near Mettur”
VELLORE: The Vellore Corporation will take a decision on enforcing the ban on the use of plastic materials such as plastic carry bags and plastic cups in shops, hotels and marriage halls after convening a meeting of the Federation of All Traders Associations of Vellore, P. Karthikeyan, Mayor of Vellore said on Wednesday. (The Corporation had imposed a ban on the use of plastic carry bags and cups with effect from September 10).
Presiding over the ordinary meeting of the Corporation council here, Mr. Karthikeyan was replying to the request of councillor Arunachalam (Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) to ensure that the ban is enforced, since plastic carry bags and cups continued to be used by the people.
The Mayor said that after the ban was announced, the traders’ federation had given a letter to him mentioning about the Central government order permitting the use of plastic materials below a specific thickness. Therefore, the Corporation would take a decision on enforcing the ban, after convening a meeting of the traders’ body in a few days and hearing their views, he said.
Water connections
Replying to a question from Mr. Arunachalam, the Municipal Engineer said that 1,400 new domestic water connections have been given in the Vellore Corporation. Mr. Arunachalam said that demand notices for payment of water tax have not so far been issued to the residents who have been given new water connections, leading to loss of revenue to the Corporation.
He wanted the Corporation to implement a scheme of source segregation of waste, by providing green and red colour bins to the residents and shops for storing biodegradable wastes and non-biodegradable wastes respectively, and arrange for proper composting of the biodegradable wastes.
Borewells
P.P. Jayaprakash (Congress) urged the Corporation to dig borewells to a depth of 300 feet to get a good yield. At present, borewells were dug only to a depth of about 150 feet, if water was struck at a depth of 70 feet.
The Mayor said that the contractors pointed out that if borewells were dug deeper than 150 feet in some places, the rigs used for drilling would get stuck at the lower depths and could not be retrieved. Mr. Jayaprakash said the people of Vellore got drinking water only once in 15 days.
He wanted to know whether the position would improve.K.R. Selvaraj, Corporation Commissioner, said that though the Corporation should be getting 166 lakh litres per day (LLD) from the Integrated Drinking Water Supply Schemes in Karugambathur, Palar and the confluence of Ponnai and Palar rivers, and from the Otteri lake and another 100 LLD from other sources, the city was not getting sufficient water now owing to the failure of the monsoon. He hoped the position would improve with the onset of the northeast monsoon.
Permanent solution
Mr. Selvaraj said that to find a permanent solution to the drinking water problem in Vellore, the Corporation has prepared a detailed project report for bringing water from the Cauvery river near Mettur.
The report is under the examination by the government. As a temporary measure, the Corporation had proposed schemes under the drought-relief fund of the government. Once these schemes were sanctioned and implemented, it would be possible to provide drinking water once in two or three days, he said.
