Urban News

Source : The Hindu Date : 24.06.2009

14 burial grounds in city to be given new life

Muralidhara Khajane

Mysore: Burial grounds in the limits of Mysore City Corporation will soon get a facelift. A detailed project report (DPR) for comprehensive development of 14 of 32 burial grounds is ready. According to Mayor Purushottam, the corporation has earmarked Rs. 2.25 crore to improve facilities at the burial grounds.

He told The Hindu that though there was enough space in all burial grounds it had not been utilised properly. People were finding it difficult to walk because of weeds. The burial grounds lacked proper maintenance and the public had complained about the poor maintenance several times. So, 14 of the 32 burial grounds would be rejuvenated in the first phase, he said.

“It has been planned to construct shelters and chairs for people. After clearing the weeds, a garden of medicinal plants will be developed. It is proposed to provide bathing facility by installing water tanks with taps at a height of 6 ft. Solar lights will also be installed in the burial grounds, he added.

Once the burial grounds are given a facelift, the responsibility to maintain them is proposed to be handed over to non-governmental organisations. However, a final decision in this regard would be taken at the meeting of the corporation council, Mr. Purushottam said.

Encroachment

To a question regarding alleged encroachment of burial grounds by some vested interests, the Mayor said he had directed the authorities concerned to conduct an inquiry into it and issue notices in case they found encroachment of land that is part of burial grounds. “We will not allow encroachment of burial grounds and we will vacate such encroachers,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) has earmarked Rs. 2 crore in the budget presented recently for setting up of a hi-tech crematorium in Vijayanagar 4th Stage.

Though there was an electric crematorium at the foot of Chamundi Hills, people had been complaining about the outdated technology there, and the stench had been causing problems to those residing in the surroundings, said MUDA commissioner Jayanna

Source : The Hindu Date : 24.06.2009

Green City project to give Belgaum a new look

Staff Correspondent

Belgaum: The Belgaum City Corporation (BCC), Belgaum Urban Development Authority (BUDA) and the Forest Department have jointly come up with project “Green City” with a view to change the face of the city.

The project, which aims at planting 50,000 different species of plants at a cost of Rs. 1.12 crore, has been conceived with the support of MLAs Abhay Kumar Patil, Sanjay Patil and Feroz Sait representing Belgaum South, Belgaum Rural and Belgaum North assembly constituencies, respectively.

The salient features of the project were presented to a select section of the Belgaum city at a seminar organised under the banner of Belgaum Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Patil complimented the Forest Department, BCC and BUDA for the project. But, he warned that it should not be another “vanamahotsava”, which only served the purpose of publicity.

He cited examples of certain villages where green cover was developed on the basis of participatory approach, involving residents. Consequentially, more than 70 per cent of the saplings planted had become huge trees.

Panchakshari Hiremath, landscape designer from Dharwad, disputed the claims of the Forest Department on its tree plantation programme.

He said: “If the claims of the Forest and Horticulture Departments on tree plantation programmes during last five to six decades are to be believed, then no space should have been left to plant even a single tree.”

However, he said the project was poised to change the face of Belgaum city if implemented and maintained in an effective manner.

Earlier, Deputy Conservator of Forest Girish Hosur highlighted the salient features of the project and said the average cost of each tree proposed to be planted would account for Rs. 224 for a maintenance period of three years.