General Administration

Illegal hoardings: Civic body to file cases against 217 parties

Tuesday, 02 April 2013 07:01 administrator

The Indian Express 02.04.2013

Illegal hoardings: Civic body to file cases against 217 parties

Fifteen days after the Bombay High Court ultimatum to the civic administration to remove all illegal hoardings, posters and banners in the city, BMC has initiated prosecution in 217 cases. In 2012, BMC had sought prosecution of 67 parties.

"We will file cases against these 217 groups or people for violating rules," said Sharad Bande, superintendent of licences. The civic administration had removed over 6,000 illegal posters, banners and political hoardings within two days of the HC order.

"Following the order, the number of illegal hoardings and banners has come down drastically, barring a few stray cases," said Bande, adding that these are mostly seen near residential areas in the bylanes. Officials claim that earlier, they would remove almost 2,500-3,000 illegal hoardings and banners — 70 per cent of which were political — a year.

"This year, there were few hoardings on the eve of Shivaji Jayanti, unlike previous years," said an official. While BMC has not given permission for political hoardings after the HC diktat, it is in the process of implementing the Delhi model of 'zero tolerance'. For religious, cultural and social banners and hoardings, prior permission needs to be taken along with payment of requisite charges to BMC, the official added.

Action can be initiated against a person for putting up an illegal banner under Section 328 of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act of 1888. According to the rules, the person concerned can be fined Rs 1,000-5,000 depending upon the extent of violation. Besides, as per Section 3 of Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 1995, an offender can be fined up to Rs 2,000 and/or imprisoned for three months.

Civic body to change tendering process

Monday, 01 April 2013 08:29 administrator

The Indian Express 01.04.2013

Civic body to change tendering process

In a bid to curb malpractices like bid rigging, cartelisation and predatory pricing, the Municipal Commissioner has planned to modify the tender system in BMC.

Civic chief Sitaram Kunte has formed a committee that will prepare the road map for an improved procurement procedure. The committee, which will include senior civic officials, will prepare a policy in consonance with the central draft Public Procurement Bill.

Following deficiencies in the public procurement system including abnormal operations, extra items in the bills given by contractors resulting in large scale variations, BMC will now change the system of allotting tenders.

"These changes will include the tender conditions, minimum requirements to bid for a certain tender, minimum deposits, variation in contract size, bidding processes and rates of items," an official said.

"The new policy will ensure more efficiency, fair and equitable treatment to bidders, promotion of competition and prevention of corrupt practices," said Deputy Municipal Commissioner, Ramesh Pawar. "It will be on the lines of the tools developed by the World Bank and Central Vigilance Commission guidelines," he added.

Several cases of irregularities, corruption and cartelisation in contracts allotted by BMC have come to light in the past few years. These include major road contracts worth over Rs 1,000 crore. Despite the civic body's claim to improve city roads by allotting contracts to major multinationals, the road contracts have been bagged by the same contractors each year.

Earlier, former chief auditor P Pisolkar alleged that the handing out of CWC contracts had become 'contractor driven' rather than 'need-based'. His letter dated January 20, 2011, to the then municipal commissioner stated that "game of influence, pressure and favouritism is resorted to by these contractors in all 24 wards".

Last Updated on Monday, 01 April 2013 11:57

Project for chemical toilets in boats begins

Monday, 01 April 2013 07:26 administrator

The Hindu 01.04.2013

Project for chemical toilets in boats begins

J.S. Bablu

The Kerala State Water Transport Department (KSWTD) has started the first phase work on a project to set up chemical toilets in its boats by initiating the process in 55 boats.

The work is expected to be over in three months.

The State Budget for 2013-14 mentions the setting up of such chemical toilets.

Shaji V. Nair, Managing Director, KSWTD, told The Hindu that the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) would be implementing the technology in the boats of the department. “We have already got Administrative Sanction (AS) for the project,” he said.

The move comes in the wake of widespread protest against the pollution of Vembanad lake by the mushrooming houseboat industry.

Nearly 1,000 boats dump waste into the river during operation. “The technology developed by the DRDO for Siachen area is being used here,” he said.

Special tanks with bacteria, developed by the DRDO, will be used for the purpose. The technology will be installed by the Transfer of Technology (TOT) holders of the DRDO.

“It is expected to be ready in the 55 boats, as part of the first phase of the project,” Mr. Nair said.

The Department runs 84 boats in six districts in the State through its 14 operating stations.

These boats are the only solace for the hundreds of people in the Kuttanad area of Alappuzha district.

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