Urban News

Source : The Hindu Date : 01.07.2009

Standing Committee on Town Planning censured

MADURAI: Corporation councillors and City Town Planning Officer Murugesan complained of irregularities by the Corporation Standing Committee on Town Planning in “approving” building plans without valid authority.

During a discussion at the Corporation council meeting here on Tuesday, Corporation North Zone Chairman K. Esakkimuthu raked up the issue of construction of a seven-storey residential building in S.S. Colony without the approval of officials. “The builder claims to have had approval of the standing committee,” he said.

Dwelling on the issue, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader P. Salaimuthu wondered whether the standing committee could issue approvals on its own. Mr. Murugesan clarified that if any building plan was not approved within 30 days on submission, the Standing committee could be approached. The committee could recommend the CTPO either for approval of the plan or rejection.

(Later, Mr. Murugesan told reporters that in case of conflict arising between the CTPO and panel, the final decision would be made by the State Government.)

Mr. Esakkimuthu, belonging to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, said that in a similar case pertaining to “approval” of plan by the committee for a commercial building on 80 Feet Road in K.K. Nagar, the builders applied for permission from the CTPO after the officials initiated action against them.

Mr. Murugesan said that in case of the multi-storey apartment the Corporation did not have any records. The construction violated building rules and scheme rules. “The approval does not have any connection with the Corporation administration. The standing committee was functioning like a separate entity,” he said.

Making losses

Earlier, Mr. Salaimuthu and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader, M. Ganesan, alleged that Corporation was incurring a huge loss because of “syndicate” among contractors while bidding for revenue-generating projects such as market.

Mayor G. Thenmozhi said that appointment to Corporation postings under compassionate ground would be done within a month.

Both the opposition parties separately walked out of the meeting protesting against “irregularities” indulged by the ruling party men during the Lok Sabha election. Their members refused to take sweets distributed to celebrate the election of M.K. Azhagiri. Former West Zone Chairman R.M.B. Chinnan, who arrived very late for the meeting, chose to sit in one of the last row of seats.

Source : The Hindu Date : 01.07.2009

Discussion on increase in water charges put off

Special Correspondent

COIMBATORE: An all-party meeting at the Coimbatore Corporation on Tuesday put off discussions on the proposal to increase drinking water consumption charges.

Leaders of the parties in the Corporation Council and heads of standing committees and zones called upon Mayor R. Venkatachalam and Corporation Commissioner Anshul Mishra to take up at a later date any discussion in raising the charges.

Deputy Mayor N. Karthik was present at the meeting.

The councillors said that this was not the right time to discuss an increase in the charges when the city was facing the threat of scarcity because of the delay in the monsoon setting in.

Leader of the Opposition and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam member V.N. Udayakumar said the water charges should not be increased even if supply improved.

He said after the meeting that the Corporation should not view everything from the angle of revenue.

Social commitment demanded that the water charges should not be increased.

The State Government had sent to the Corporation revised water tariff, stating that the civic body could increase the rates in order to fund the Rs.113-crore Pilloor Phase II drinking water scheme.

A proposal moved for the increase at the Corporation Council meeting on June 22 said that the project estimate had increased to Rs.140 crore because of cost escalation.

This could be met through an increase in the charges.

The meeting was convened to also discuss connection and usage charges for underground sewers that the Corporation planned to provide under a Rs.377-crore scheme.

While the parties agreed that service charges had to be collected for the maintenance of the sewers, they wanted the Corporation to ensure that the public were not burdened by exorbitant rates.

Mr. Udayakumar said that the officials were requested to study the rates prevailing in all the local bodies that had implemented underground sewer schemes.

“We want the Coimbatore Corporation to fix rates that are lower than the lowest among the other local bodies.”

Another issue discussed at the meeting was about hoardings at bus shelters.

With rules on the size of hoardings having been violated earlier, the Corporation decided that it would provide the design and size specifications.

Officials said that the areas where such hoardings could be put up would also be identified by the civic body.