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Pune Municipal Corporation lab gets ISO accreditation

Tuesday, 28 May 2013 12:31 administrator
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The Times of India            28.05.2013

Pune Municipal Corporation lab gets ISO accreditation

PUNE: The food and water testing laboratory of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) received ISO:9001:2008 accreditation under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, said a press statement issued by the civic body .

Started at Salunke Vihar in Kondhwa a year back, the lab had limited use for nearly a year, but was opened to the public in January 2013, offering a bouquet of 99 types of tests. Officials said the lab was designed primarily for testing meat at the Kondhwa slaughterhouse. Since it is well-equipped, the lab can be used by common people.

The lab was upgraded by installing newer and advanced equipment to make it fit enough to get an accreditation from the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories(NABL), an autonomous body under the aegis of the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. The NABL grants accreditation to only those laboratories that conform to its stringent norms. The laboratory is located at the Kondhwa slaughterhouse on Salunke Vihar Road and accepts samples from Monday to Saturday during working hours. It has advanced equipment and machinery required for testing samples of water, food items and even sewage. The fee for testing food, which practically includes anything from grains to processed eatables to water samples, are equivalent to rates charged by any state government laboratory. Not just citizens, business establishments like hotels, warehouses, godowns can also avail of the lab's services, PMC officials said.

 

MCC fails to implement rule on Rain harvesting

Tuesday, 28 May 2013 12:30 administrator
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The Times of India            28.05.2013

MCC fails to implement rule on Rain harvesting

MYSORE: The idea of Mysore city corporation (MCC) to make builders to incorporate rainwater harvesting mechanism in their plans and implement it is yet to take off with many builders not abiding by this diktat.

Realizing the importance of rainwater harvesting following frequent drought conditions, MCC took this decision three years ago to make it mandatory for the builders who build their houses and other structures on a site measuring 60 X 40 feet dimension and bigger than this, but the rule failed to draw the attention of the builders, with many of the people who have either built their houses or other commercial structures not following MCC order.

Officials claim that they are not approving building plans which do not have rainwater harvesting provisions, but private individuals and builders seem to have failed to take note of the guideline and abide by the plans approved by MCC. The other hitch in the MCC diktat is that this rule is being applied to houses and buildings constructed in MCC jurisdiction, whereas the buildings constructed in MUDA layouts are kept out of this rule.

"We are ensuring implementation of this rule and not approving any plan which does not have rain harvesting mechanism in it," claimed Krishna Bhovi the town planning officer in MCC, adding that they are also not issuing completion certificates for the houses which have violated this rule. However, the dual system of plan approvals has affected the implementation, disclosed Krishna Bhovi regretting the absence of a single agency to issue work permits. He said people who build houses in MUDA layouts do not come to MCC for plan approvals and MUDA is not insisting on this rule.

However, MUDA officials denied that they are not insisting on rain harvesting mechanism in the structures being built in MUDA layouts. "Since last few days we are not approving plans which do not have rain harvesting system in the plan," said KN Kumar, MUDA town planning member, claiming that they are also seriously implementing the rule.

Even MCC commissioner PG Ramesh said they are mercilessly implementing the rule and no completion certificates will be issued to those who are violating this rule. 

 

Ponda Municipal Council to form sub-committees

Tuesday, 28 May 2013 12:24 administrator
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The Times of India            28.05.2013

Ponda Municipal Council to form sub-committees

PANAJI: In order to ensure the Ponda Municipal Council (PMC) functions smoothly, the civic body has decided to form sub-committees for various purposes; including a standing committee to ensure smooth running of the council.

PMC chairperson Radhika Nayak said the committees will be constituted on May 31. The council met for the first time on Monday after the polls and unanimously decided to form committees on public works, education, sanitation and public health, water supply and drainage, planning and development, and municipal solid waste management committee, Nayak said. The functions and duties of each committee was decided by the council.

The meeting was attended by all 14 councillors. Meanwhile, the PMC has deferred writing a letter to the chief minister to urge the government to allot a full-time chief officer (CO) for the PMC. CO Johnson Fernandes is on leave.

POWER SHUTDOWN

Chimbel (May 28): Between 9am and 2pm. Areas to be affected are Indiranagar, Futant, masjid, Gervanso quarry, Shetye quarry, Govlem Bhatt and vicinity.

Dongrim-Mandur (May 29): Between 9am and 2pm. Areas to be affected are Dongrim, Daktem Bhatt, Vodlem Bhatt, Mandur panchayat, Mandur church, health centre, Jacinto Vaz complex and vicinity.

Neura/Azossim (May 30): Between 9am and 2pm. Areas fed by the 11KV Neura feeder will be affected.

Chimbel (May 31): Between 9am and 2pm. Areas to be affected are Raghuvir Smruti, Shantabhan, Govlem Bhatt, Milrock, ice factory, Bonavadi, Firguem Bhatt and vicinity.

 
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