The Hindu                09.12.2013

Work on storm water drains in full swing

Water stagnation in the wake of the recent rain is not only a breeding ground for mosquitoes, but also a major source of health hazard to the residents of Srirangam, especially those living on the Ammamandapam Road and the Gandhi Road.

But, the irony is even a short spell of rain is enough to expose the poor drainage system in the town.

Realising the need of the hour, the civic body has taken up construction of storm water drains at these roads and the work has been in full swing for the past few days. The roads have been dug to a width of about three metres up to the houses, commercial complex, and private buildings, and to a depth of about one metre.

The civic body has designed a plan to ensure prompt draining of the storm water and to harvest the rainwater as well.

“Provision of storm water drain is mandatory on all major roads and the corporation has designed a programme to provide it in all the needy areas,” says V.P. Thandapani, Tiruchirapalli City Corporation Commissioner, explaining the details of the work being implemented in Srirangam.

As sand and other silt block the free flow of water in these storm water drains, the corporation has provided a silt drop at a distance of every 10 metres so that all the silt could be collected without accumulation.

Further, rainwater harvest structures have been provided at these drains.

Residents point out that with a large number of city buses being operated on the Ammamandapam road, the splashing of storm water posed a nuisance for a few days following sharp showers.

They say that the corporation should have attached priority to the speedy execution at places where marriage halls are located.

“I have set up wooden planks for the marriage to be solemnised at my hall,” says R. Ramanan, proprietor of Sri Yoga Marriage Hall located on the Ammamandapam Road. The strong planks have been set up for ensuring safety for children and aged persons at the entrance to the marriage hall.

The issue was taken up at the official meeting convened by the district administration for evolving arrangements for Vaikunta Ekadasi. R. Manoharan, chief whip, advised the corporation commissioner to see that the works were completed well ahead of the commencement of the festival as a large number of devotees were expected. Mr. Thandapani assured him that arrangements had been made for the speedy execution of the work on storm water drains.

The Hindu                09.12.2013

Corporation to develop Kurichi Tank

The Commissionerate of Municipal Administration, Government of Tamil Nadu, has asked the Coimbatore Corporation to prepare a detailed project report to improve and develop the Kurichi Tank.

According to sources, the Corporation would engage a consultant to prepare the report. The Commissionerate would pay for engaging the consultant and also implement the project the consultant recommended.

The scope of the detailed project work would include improving the storage capacity of the tank, strengthening its bund, beautifying the tank area, cleaning its inlet channels, treating the domestic sewage that entered the tank, and providing foot paths, lighting, public convenience facilities and much more.

The sources said that the Commissionerate would provide the funding under the Integrated Urban Development Mission scheme.

The move to ask the Corporation to prepare the detailed project report and take up works based on suggestions therein came within days of the Secretary, Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department, K. Phanindra Reddy, visiting the place on Thursday, during his visit to Coimbatore to participate in a conference.

The Coimbatore Corporation has already got eight tanks under its control. It had taken over the tanks on a 99-year lease in 2010 from the Public Works Department for development under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.

It took over the tanks for development to fulfil obligations under the JNNURM, which mandated the beneficiary local bodies to be in possession of the assets they intended to develop.

But nothing much happened thereafter. The Central Government was yet to sanction funds for the Corporation’s proposal to develop the tanks. The demand was for Rs. 150 crore.

Meanwhile, the Public Works Department had sent a letter to the Coimbatore Corporation asking why it should not revert the control of the tanks, as no development had taken place.