Tamil Nadu News Papers

Massive drive launched to make Sivaganga plastic-free

Tuesday, 09 January 2018 06:08

The Hindu 09.01.2018

Massive drive launched to make Sivaganga plastic-free

Sivaganga Collector G. Latha addressing people in a church on Sunday as part of the awareness campaign for a plastic-free district

Recruitment of 12,000 ‘green warriors’ has begun

The district administration has launched a massive drive to free the district from the menace of plastics and has begun recruiting 12,000 ‘green warriors’ – volunteers to inform, educate and communicate (IEC) one-to-one with the public to achieve the task.

Launching the drive with a signature campaign and logo release recently, Minister for Khadi and Village Industries Board G. Baskaran and Collector G. Latha impressed upon the people to say ‘no’ to plastics, segregate solid waste at the doorstep and avoid open defecation to make the district clean and green.

The district had three lakh households and there would be one green warrior for every 25 households to inform, educate and communicate with the people on the danger posed by plastic wastes and the need to avoid open defecation.

“The process of recruiting green warriors is going on in full swing and we will launch the ICE programme next week,” Ms Latha said. Simultaneously, the warriors, mostly members of women self help groups, non-governmental organisations and Nehru Yuva Kendras would educate the people on the need to segregate degradable and non-degradable solid wastes at their doorstep and opt for individual toilets.

All those who were interested in making the district green and clean could become green warriors. A massive awareness campaign with a series of cultural events, competitions, marathons and wall paintings would be launched at all levels in rural and urban local bodies, the Collector said.

After month-long IEC, the district administration, with the help of sponsors, proposed to distribute cloth bags to the people and persuade them to avoid using plastics during the whole of February before initiating penal actions in March, B. Kanchana, Project Director, District Rural Development Agency, said.

As part of the awareness campaign, Ms. Latha addressed churches and jamats on Sunday as part of eliciting the support of all sections of society. A Rangoli competition had been arranged for January 12 and the winners would be given 1, 2 and 4 gms of gold, said officials.

Only 1 smart city project completed in Chennai in 3 years, says Minister

Tuesday, 09 January 2018 05:41

The Hindu 09.01.2018

Only 1 smart city project completed in Chennai in 3 years, says Minister

Civic projects relating to sewerage and water supply have not been taken up under the Smart City Mission.File Photo

Central government’s stringent norms causing delay, says S.P. Velumani

Work on the Smart City Mission has been delayed because of the unwillingness of the Central government to relax norms, said Local Administration Minister S.P. Velumani.

Speaking at the first review meeting of Smart City Mission and AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation), Mr. Velumani admitted that most of the Smart City Mission projects had not taken off in the past three years in Chennai and nine other cities in the State.

The Minister said just one project of the Smart City Mission had been completed in Chennai in the past three years. “The Central government has given nod for 173 projects under Smart City Mission, estimated at Rs. 13,425 crore. Out of the 173 projects sanctioned by the Centre, three have been completed in the State at Rs. 3.65 crore,” he said.

Claiming that the norms for taking up Smart City projects were very stringent, he said the State government had requested the Centre to relax norms to complete more civic projects such as sewerage and water supply. “We want to take up civic projects that the people need. But many projects do not qualify for funding under the Smart City Mission,” Mr. Velumani said.

Work on 14 projects estimated at Rs. 491.97 crore was under way in the State. “We will float bids for 37 projects estimated at Rs. 1,795.92 crore shortly. Preparation of detailed project reports for 119 smart schemes is under way at Rs. 11,134 crore,” he said.

The State government would speed up the projects in two years even if the request for relaxation of norms was not accepted by the Centre, he said.

The period of implementation of the Smart City Mission is 2015-2020.

Each city would receive Rs. 500 crore from the Centre. The State government would contribute another Rs. 500 crore for each of the cities. Chennai and Coimbatore were selected for funding under the Mission in 2015-2016.

In the second round, Madurai, Salem, Thanjavur and Vellore were selected.

Tiruchi, Tirupur, Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi were selected in the third round. In the fourth round, the State government sent a proposal on November 30, 2017 to include Erode and Dindigul.

At the review meeting, Mr. Velumani directed the officials to float bids for all the Smart City projects before March 31.

This civic body does not practise what it preaches on public health

Tuesday, 09 January 2018 05:33

The Hindu 09.01.2018

This civic body does not practise what it preaches on public health

Water in an open overhead tank that has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes on the terrace of Dindigul Corporation lodge inside Kamarajar Central Bus Stand on Monday.PHOTO: G. Karthikeyan

Tank in Dindigul Corporation Lodge is a breeding ground for mosquitoes

Even as the district administration has come up with preventive measures to control dengue and other contagious fevers, including severe action against residents who failed to follow guidelines set by the Corporation, the uncovered overhead tanks on the terrace of Dindigul Corporation lodge inside Kamarajar Central Bus Stand has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes, thanks to ill-maintenance and stagnation of water.

Three other tanks on the terrace are not covered properly. The Corporation has been storing water in these open and partially covered tanks to maintain water supply to lodges and shops in the building.

With no proper maintenance for a long time, it has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. The corporation sanitary workers neither clean the tank nor spray anti-mosquito repellents to prevent larvae breeding, alleged shopkeepers.

The Corporation health officials took stern action against residents who did not seal water containers in houses. They often slapped fine on owners of private and commercial buildings within the city limit when they found larvae in stagnated water in the tanks and containers. But no attempt was made to even clean the open overhead tanks in the bus stand and contain mosquito breeding, said S. Murugan, a vendor in the bus stand.

However, shopkeepers state that plastic tanks installed on the terrace are closed properly. Lids meant for cement tanks were either damaged or missing for a long time. No efforts were taken maintain them.

To worsen the situation, the Corporation garbage clearing workers have converted an open space between Karur and Tiruchi bus bays inside the bus stand into a temporary garbage dumping yard, polluting the surroundings and posing grave health threat to passengers. They collect the waste from the bus stand and roads around it and dump them at this spot. Fruit wastes and waste generated from eateries, hotels and tea shops too are being dumped at this spot.

Now the temporary garbage yard attracts stray dogs and pigs and become a breeding ground for flies and mosquitoes. Passengers waiting at these bays to go to Karur, Tiruchi and Palani have a tough time. Hygiene and clean surroundings are still a distant dream. The central bus stand was upgraded into A-grade bus stand last year.

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