The Hindu 14.04.2013
Chithirai festival: Corporation allots Rs.47 lakh for sanitation, civil works
Focus will be on providing adequate drinking water, says Mayor.
The Madurai Corporation has allotted Rs. 47.43 lakh for
various amenities to be provided during this year’s Chithirai festival
which commences on Sunday.
As the city braces itself
for a huge influx of devotees and tourists during the period, the civic
body has earmarked special funds for health, sanitation and civil works.
Based on estimates, the Corporation has allotted Rs.22.43 lakh for
public health and Rs.25 lakh towards civil works to be undertaken during
the festival.
Addressing a press conference here on
Saturday, Corporation Mayor V. V. Rajan Chellappa said that the focus
will be on providing adequate drinking water supply, sufficient lighting
by enhancing street lights and maintaining sanitation so as to prevent
outbreak of any disease.
At crucial spots, 50 water
taps will be provided to supply protected drinking water. Drinking water
tanks will be kept at 24 places and regular supply of water through
water tankers will be maintained. Overhead water tanks are being cleaned
and sanitary inspectors have been instructed to ensure chlorination of
water that is supplied by the corporation and also in hotels and tea
stalls. The Mayor also said that maintenance of public toilets is on the
agenda and two mobile toilets would be parked at important places.
For
the next 10 days, the Corporation will temporarily engage 170 sanitary
staff on daily wages for cleaning works in the southern side of the
city. In the northern side of the city, 370 workers have been deployed
for seven days on daily wages.
The Corporation has
also appointed 20 daily wage labourers for sanitation works to be
carried out at Mattuthavani and surrounding areas.
At
important places in the city where festivities will take place, the
Corporation will focus on sanitation. Ten tonnes of bleaching powder and
2,000 litres of phenyl will be used for this purpose. To ensure food
safety, the Corporation has decided to take the assistance of food
safety officers. They would inspect places where food items are prepared
and at ‘annadhanam’ spots. Medical teams will be kept ready in
corporation dispensaries and corporation ambulances would be stationed
at important spots were crowds congregate. The Mayor said that lighting
would be increased on the Vaigai riverbed and high voltage bulbs will be
fitted on streetlamps. He said that water will be released from Vaigai
dam on April 20 so as to facilitate the ritual of Lord Kallazhagar
entering the river. “We have also requested the electricity department
to provide uninterrupted power supply during the Chithirai festival,” he
added.
The Corporation is also gearing up for opening of 16 budget canteens (Amma Unavagams) at different places in the city.
Mr.
Rajan Chellappa said that the groundwater division of the corporation
will dig 400 deep bore wells to overcome water scarcity. Illegal water
connections in the city have been removed.
“We are in
the process of preparing a long term plan for finding a permanent
solution to the water crisis. Since, the population has crossed 16 lakh
in Madurai Corporation limits, there has to be an action plan to meet
the future requirements”, he said. R. Nanthagopal, Corporation
Commissioner, A. Mathuram, City Engineer in-charge and Yasodha Mani,
City Health Officer, were among those who were present during the press
conference.