The Hindu 04.09.2009
Work on drinking water project to begin shortly
Staff Reporter
| To serve wards 19, 26 and 27 coming under Tirunelveli Corporation |
— Photo: A. Shaikmohideen 
Easy collection: Mayor A.L. Subramanian (third from right) handing over the keys of the specially designed garbage collecting lorries at Tirunelveli Corporation on Thursday.
TIRUNELVELI: With the council deciding in favour of the local body bearing the additional expense of Rs.2.57 crore over the estimated cost of Rs.14.87 crore for executing the drinking water scheme for wards 19, 26 and 27, the formal foundation stone laying ceremony for this much-awaited project is expected to take place shortly.
As most of the areas of these wards, situated on the peripheral areas of Palayamkottai, are getting drinking water only through lorries, the Corporation forwarded a proposal to the government for executing a drinking water scheme on an outlay of Rs. 14.87 crore.
Giving its nod for this project, the Director of Municipal Administration also gave its permission to get the funding for this project from KfW Line of Credit through Tamilnadu Urban Infrastructure Financial Services Limited (TNUIFSL).
However, the lowest bidder of this contract was not prepared to accept the contract for Rs.14.87 crore as it had quoted Rs.16.66 crore, forcing the Corporation to negotiate with this firm on various occasions that ultimately brought down the price to Rs.16.35 crore, which is still 9.96 per cent above the Corporation’s estimate.
Following this development, the Corporation approached the Regional Tenders Approval Committee for its permission to bear the additional expenditure of Rs.2.57 crore from its general fund, for which the Council also accorded its permission in the meeting held here on Thursday.
“Since the Council has agreed to bear this extra expenditure, foundation stone for this drinking water scheme will be laid shortly,” said a senior official of the corporation.
Addressing the Council, Mayor A.L. Subramanian appealed to the members to help the officials in enrolling the poor families for the ‘Chief Minister’s Health Insurance Scheme’.
Palayamkottai Zone chairman Suba. Seetharaman noted that the Councillors should also be included in the scheme.
Later the Mayor handed over the specially designed lorries to collect garbage to all four zones of the Corporation.