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Discord in Corporation Council over bus shelters

Saturday, 12 September 2009 06:25 administrator
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The Hindu 12.09.2009

Discord in Corporation Council over bus shelters

 

Special Correspondent

Councillors urged not to hold up project

COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore Corporation’s move to get the elected Council’s approval for its proposal to involve private firms in putting up bus shelters across the city ran into resistance from a section of the councillors at emergency meeting on Friday.

The stiffest resistance came from Town Planning Committee Chairman P. Krishnamoorthy, on the grounds that the proposal had not been routed through his committee. As the subject came under the town planning wing, it ought to have been placed before the committee, he contended.

A member of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Mr. Krishnamoorthy demanded that the resolution be deferred and the entire proposal should be examined by the committee. When he asked about the current status of the shelters in the city, Town Planning Officer M. Soundararajan said that out of the 218 shelters in the city, only 22 were approved by the Corporation.

Leader of the Opposition and DMK member V.N. Udayakumar suggested that the contract with the firms maintaining the 22 shelters could be terminated and a fresh one could be worked out for all the shelters in the city.

Corporation Commissioner Anshul Mishra said talks could be held with the firms, but any unilateral decision by the Corporation could land it in a legal tangle.

As the DMK members, particularly Mr. Krishnamoorthy, insisted on deferring the discussion on the subject, the Commissioner made a fervent appeal to the members not to delay the project because people waiting for buses at the stops were suffering without proper shelters. “Let us not take any decision against the interests of the public,” he said.

Mr. Krishnamoorthy argued that the DMK was also concerned about the public, but the bus shelter issue should have been discussed at an all-party meeting and then brought to the Council.

The DMK members objected to All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) councillor M. Natarajan’s comment that the Commissioner’s decision could not be overruled. Amid a verbal clash broke out between the councillors of these parties, Mr. Mishra clarified that only the Council’s decision was supreme.

At one point of time, when the discussions were not making any headway, the Commissioner said he would refer the proposal to the State Government for its decision. AIADMK member P. Rajkumar called for a quick consensus, warning of further delay if the proposal was referred to the Government.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) councillor C. Padmanabhan said he condemned the demand to hold over the proposal for yet another round of discussion.

However, the resolution on the proposal was not passed in the Council. It would be placed in the Council later after discussions at an all-party meeting.

Last Updated on Saturday, 12 September 2009 06:26
 

Efforts on to formulate Disaster Management Policy

Saturday, 12 September 2009 05:30 administrator
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The Hindu 12.09.2009

Efforts on to formulate Disaster Management Policy

 

Staff Reporter

With special concern for protecting children in catastrophic situations

NAGAPATTINAM: An effort to transform victimhood of children in disaster situations into that of active agency in disaster management is slowly under way in the State. This was the agenda behind the district level consultative meeting on Child Rights during emergencies held here by Save the Children on behalf of the State Government on Thursday. This is a prelude to the formulation of a Disaster Management Policy by the State Disaster Management Agency.

The object was to ascertain requirements and recommendations from the stakeholders themselves through meetings with NGOs and line departments and incorporate them into the proposed disaster management policy. The meeting with the NGO’s will be followed by one with line departments shortly after which the recommendations ascertained would serve as parameters in the formulation of the National Policy on Disaster Management. The exercise is grounded on the principle that disaster relief agenda should emerge from those potential disaster victims themselves.

Accordingly, to involve children in disaster management is tantamount to create a “culture” of disaster management. Its aim is to mobilise children as agents of change not just in times of disasters such as cyclone or floods, but also in times of biological hazards that render them vulnerable. This consultative process also attempts to engage with the best practices that are already in use and regularise them into the proposed policy.

Also on agenda is to conduct a school survey and inculcate disaster management culture into school curriculum along with formation of school disaster management committees. Besides, focus would also be on excluded children like school drop-outs. The current National Contingency Fund that deals with disaster management needs an overhaul through the formulation of a uniform, institutionalised relief code with children as legitimate participants.

Save the Children’s Child Centered Disaster Risk Reduction focuses on child rights, child protection, health, education and school safety. In the last Gram Sabha held here, children were inducted into the community based disaster risk reduction programme. The recommendations would serve as benchmarks in the formulation of the Policy. The consultative process with line departments and NGO’s is being held in six districts viz, Kanyakumari, Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Thiruvarur, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram.

The process is being resourced through the aid and expertise of Programme Coordinator P. Balamurugan of Save the Children and Disaster Risk Management consultants, Suresh Mariaselvam and K. M. Parivelan.

Last Updated on Saturday, 12 September 2009 05:31
 

Premium FSI introduced to permit extra built-up space in Chennai Metropolitan Area

Friday, 11 September 2009 04:02 administrator
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The Times of India 11.09.2009

Premium FSI introduced to permit extra built-up space in Chennai Metropolitan Area

Jayaraj Sivan, TNN 11 September 2009, 03:47am IST

CHENNAI: It's bonanza time for builders and developers in the city. After slashing infrastructure and amenity charges, the state government has introduced premium floor space index (FSI is the ratio of land area to built-up area) in the Chennai Metropolitan Area (CMA) with a view to permitting builders construct extra floor space against payment of a premium.

According to a government order passed on Wednesday, the premium FSI is applicable to the entire CMA limits, comprising 1,189 sq km area falling under Chennai corporation, 16 municipalities, 20 town panchayats and 214 village panchayats in Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts. The Red Hills reservoir catchment region and areas adjoining water bodies maintained by the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board for drinking water purpose have been exempted from paying premium FSI. Premium FSI was announced in the second master plan for CMA, released in September 2008, but it has come into effect only on September 9, 2009, the date of issue of the GO.

FSI can be availed on all plots abutting roads that have a minimum width of 30 feet. The premium FSI for plots abutting roads that have a width of 30 feet or more and below 40 feet is 20% of the normal FSI. For plots that abut roads that are 40 feet to below 60 feet, the premium FSI is 30%, and for plots that abut roads having a width of 60 feet or more, it is 40%. For example, a person who proposes to avail premium FSI on 1,000 sq ft land abutting 40 feet road (which has a normal FSI of 1.5) can construct up to 1,950 sq ft instead of the normal 1,500 sq ft. However, a maximum cap of one FSI has been fixed for the premium FSI. Otherwise, the promoter cannot avail a premium FSI of more than 1,000 sq ft on land measuring 1,000 sq ft.

Regarding payment, the promoter who avails one sq metre premium FSI on land eligible for a normal FSI of 1.5, has to pay the guideline value of 0.66 sq metres of land as premium FSI charges. In case the land is eligible for two FSI, for every one sq metre of premium FSI the promoter avails, he has to pay a guideline value of 0.5 sq metre of land as premium FSI fees. If the land is eligible for a normal FSI of 2.5, then the promoter has to pay a guideline value of 0.4 sq metre of land for every one sq metre premium FSI he builds. The guideline value fixed by the registration department is applicable for calculating the charges.

The applicant has to remit the premium FSI charges upfront to the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) before getting planning permission for the project. The amount thus collected from the promoters will be remitted in a separate government account, which will be utilised for infrastructure development in that area, the GO said. Since the premium FSI has not been introduced with retrospective effect, all building violations which have taken place in the city in the past will not stand to gain from it.

Reacting to the GO, Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Association of India's Tamil Nadu chapter president Prakash Challa said, "It will help builders exploit fully land in the city where price is prohibitively high."
 
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