The Hindu                09.12.2013

Corporation to develop Kurichi Tank

The Commissionerate of Municipal Administration, Government of Tamil Nadu, has asked the Coimbatore Corporation to prepare a detailed project report to improve and develop the Kurichi Tank.

According to sources, the Corporation would engage a consultant to prepare the report. The Commissionerate would pay for engaging the consultant and also implement the project the consultant recommended.

The scope of the detailed project work would include improving the storage capacity of the tank, strengthening its bund, beautifying the tank area, cleaning its inlet channels, treating the domestic sewage that entered the tank, and providing foot paths, lighting, public convenience facilities and much more.

The sources said that the Commissionerate would provide the funding under the Integrated Urban Development Mission scheme.

The move to ask the Corporation to prepare the detailed project report and take up works based on suggestions therein came within days of the Secretary, Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department, K. Phanindra Reddy, visiting the place on Thursday, during his visit to Coimbatore to participate in a conference.

The Coimbatore Corporation has already got eight tanks under its control. It had taken over the tanks on a 99-year lease in 2010 from the Public Works Department for development under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.

It took over the tanks for development to fulfil obligations under the JNNURM, which mandated the beneficiary local bodies to be in possession of the assets they intended to develop.

But nothing much happened thereafter. The Central Government was yet to sanction funds for the Corporation’s proposal to develop the tanks. The demand was for Rs. 150 crore.

Meanwhile, the Public Works Department had sent a letter to the Coimbatore Corporation asking why it should not revert the control of the tanks, as no development had taken place.