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Gas-based crematorium in Nilgiris now fully functional

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The Hindu      30.03.2017  

Gas-based crematorium in Nilgiris now fully functional

Public can approach the municipality office to arrange for funerals at the facility

The gas-based crematorium in Mink Shola, Udhagamandalam, that was built at a cost of Rs. 70 lakh and was lying disused since 2012, was finally deemed to be fully functional earlier this month.

When it was first built, the crematorium was to be maintained by the Rotary Club of Ootacamund. However, as the trials conducted at the facility had failed, the crematorium was lying abandoned since 2012, when the maintenance was contracted to a private firm in Chennai.

The municipality had been taking steps since then to revive the project, and during the end of 2016, they once again began taking steps to make the crematorium fully functional.


V Prabhakaran, Health Officer and Commissioner (in-charge), Udhagamandalam Municipality, said that the cost of cremating bodies at the facility was yet to be decided, but added that the crematorium was now fully functional. He said that flex boards would be put up at burial sites across the Nilgiris as well, to inform the public about the crematorium.

The public can approach the municipality office to arrange for funerals at the facility.

 

Corporation’s swimming pool soon to be opened for public

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The Times of India        30.03.2017  

Corporation’s swimming pool soon to be opened for public

Representative image

 


COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore Corporation's swimming pool at Gandhi Park is likely to be reopened in two months. It remained closed nearly five years ago. The depth of the renovated pool will be 4.5-feet and 23.4metres in width.

In May 2012, a seven -year-old boy had drowned in the pool after he mistimed his dive. It was alleged that the caretaker of the pool failed to provide first aid, and later the boy died. It was also alleged that the swimming pool lacked enough infrastructure.

Following this, a plan was laid to redesign the pool and include all necessary amenities to make it safe for people to use it. "It took long time for us to come out with a new plan. The brief was to provide all necessary facilities for people to learn swimming," said an official of the Coimbatore Corporation. "Once the design was ready we started work around eight months ago," he added.

Projected at a cost of Rs1.25crore, the renovation is likely to end by the last week of April. "The pool's depth was 3.5feet to 12feet. It was proposed to reduce the depth and it is now 4.5feet throughout," said an officer. "The width of the pool was 6.7m (22feet) and has now been increased to 23.4metres," said the officer. TOI spoke to the construction workers at the site, and learnt that it will take about two months for them to complete the work. Asked about the supply of materials, the workers said that they have all construction materials in place. "Water is also available," said a worker.

The new pool will have a space to seat public. "It can seat about 100 people," said a worker at the site.

Besides these amenities, the pool will have a water recycling plant. "We have set up a chlorination and distillation unit. The recycled water will be used to water plants in the park," said an officer. "The swimming pool will be filled with fresh water every day that will be fetched from the bore well dug at the park (500feet)," added the officer.

 

The Coimbatore Corporation is yet to decide about the charges for using the pool and the timings when the pool will be open for public. "It will be decided in the council meeting," said an official. 

 

Modern fish market to be opened soon

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The Hindu           06.03.2017  

Modern fish market to be opened soon

Wait ends:The building had remained locked for over two years due to disputes over the allotment of stalls and norms for selection of vendorsT. Singaravelou  

Fisheries Department has begun the process of selecting beneficiaries for allotting the stalls, says a government official

After years of delay due to procedural wrangles between the Fisheries Department and the Oulgaret Municipality, the Modern Hygienic Fish Market on the East Coast Road is likely to be opened soon.

The building had remained locked for over two years due to disputes over the allotment of stalls to vendors and the norms for selection of vendors.

The two-storey fully air-conditioned structure spread over 37,886 square feet was built by the Project Implementation Agency (PIA) with the World Bank assistance of Rs. 13.5 crore under the Tsunami Emergency Rehabilitation Project I. The complex was inaugurated by former chief minister N. Rangasamy on February 19, 2014.

According to a senior government official, “The Fisheries Department has begun the process of selecting the beneficiaries for allotment of stalls. The stalls will be demarcated by selecting vendors from all fishing panchayats and those who have already been affiliated to any of the fish markets managed by the municipalities and commune panchayats cannot claim rights. The market will be run by the Oulgaret municipality.”

The new complex was planned to cater to the needs of fishermen from several coastal villages in Puducherry. The complex has around 110 air-conditioned stalls, including 55 stalls on the ground floor, with cold storage facilities and separate areas for processing and cutting fish.

The other facilities in the complex include an effluent treatment plant, auction hall for fish, 10-tonne capacity ice plant and an ATM. The plant would treat effluents collected from the market and has been fitted with a 10-KV solar power plant to meet the requirements of the shopping area.

While cheap varieties of fish will be sold on the first floor, costly ones will be available in the second floor. Since the complex is big, fishermen from several coastal villages can sell their catch.

 


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