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Gomes visits MMC, vows to resolve issues

Wednesday, 10 April 2013 11:59 administrator
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The Times of India                  10.04.2013

Gomes visits MMC, vows to resolve issues

VASCO: The newly-appointed director of Vasco's municipal administration, Elvis Gomes, visited the Mormugao municipal council and listened to grievances before promising to resolve some of the issues.

Fiola Rego, Chairperson, MMC, explained that the issues that need to be addressed include a full-time chief officer, deputation of staff for election duty, and garbage, among others.

Shekhar Khadapkar, vice- chairperson, MMC, requested Gomes to make sure that for any duty like elections, the council staff should not be taken, as it has an adverse effect on the functioning of the council, and the public.

Manish Arolkar, former chairperson and councilor, said, "There was 5,000 sq m allotted for a Hindu crematorium at Khariawada. But the crematorium has only 1,000 sq m left, and the rest is being encroached on. The municipality should come down heavily on them." Gomes, speaking to media, said, "The MMC has suffered because funds had gone back, and the reason was that they were not utilized by them".
Last Updated on Wednesday, 10 April 2013 12:02
 

Lucknow Development Authority to examine graveyard site

Wednesday, 10 April 2013 11:44 administrator
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The Times of India                  10.04.2013

Lucknow Development Authority to examine graveyard site

LUCKNOW: A day after residents of Gomtinagar entered into a heated argument with local villagers over existence of a grave in Gomtinagar (phase-2), the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) has decided to get the site examined.

On Tuesday, a host of villagers under the aegis of Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) thronged the LDA office demanding renovation of graveyard. The site, situated in Vinamr Khand, has its land use earmarked as graveyard in the city master plan. It was following insistence of the villagers that the LDA constructed a boundary wall at the site. However, residents objected to the move saying that existence of a graveyard in the vicinity of a residential colony was not proper.

The BKU leaders, however, continued with their demand and even handed over a representation to the LDA officials including its vice-chairman, Rajeev Agarwal and secretary, Ashtbhuja Tewari.
Last Updated on Wednesday, 10 April 2013 11:49
 

Kottayam municipality comes under fire for poor utilisation of plan funds

Tuesday, 09 April 2013 05:00 administrator
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The Hindu                    09.04.2013

Kottayam municipality comes under fire for poor utilisation of plan funds

Special Correspondent

The failure of Kottayam Municipal Council in effectively expending the Plan Fund during the last financial year has caught municipal authorities on the back foot.

According to official records, as per data provided on April 1, Kottayam Municipality has spent only 43 per cent of the plan funds for the last financial year.

Pala utilised 100 per cent funds, while Vaikom and Changanassery utilised 65.63 per cent and 84 per cent respectively.

The dismal performance will have its effect this year and the local body will lose nearly 17 per cent of its plan fund allocation. As per government decision, those local bodies which achieve 60 per cent of the target will be allowed to carry over the remaining funds over to the next year.

Worst-hit

The Scheduled communities will be the worst-hit. The achievement under this category is only 14 per cent. This means, funds for Scheduled communities will witness a massive cut, if present norms are followed.

Municipal chairman M.P. Santhosh Kumar said there had been no delay in moving ahead with the plans after he assumed power on December 5, 2012. “We got the nod from the District Planning Committee on January 21. But there was a delay during tendering as single tendering was not allowed. Many of the works had to be retendered. When the procedural formalities were completed, it was late February,” he said.

He also said out of 463 projects, many were in the infrastructure development sector, which involved cumbersome procedural formalities.

M.K. Prabhakaran, who leads the opposition LDF in the council, said the unprecedented situation was created on account of the tussle in the ruling Front. “The period from September to November was lost on account of the change in leadership of the Council, following the tussle within the party. Even after the new chairman took office, work on the plan was held up due to the delay in the selection of standing committee chairpersons,” he said.

Mr. Santhosh Kumar was, however, optimistic. “This year we were in a difficult situation, But we will overcome it soon,” he said.

“We will be able to submit the projects for next year’s plan by April and complete the formalities by June. This means we will get at least six months’ time for implementation,” he said.

 
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