NDMC to slash bijli-paani tariff
Friday, 03 January 2014 11:51
administrator
The Times of India 03.01.2014 NDMC to slash bijli-paani tariff
NEW DELHI: Days after Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government slashed power tariff by 50% and promised free water up to 20 kilolitres, New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) is planning to rationalize electricity and water tariff. Sources say, a proposal in this regard is likely to be tabled in the upcoming meeting of the council on January 10.
For water tariff, the civic agency will soon write to Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to avail the benefit extended by the government. According to NDMC officials, there are close to 25,000 water connections in the area, of which 22,000 connections are metered. "We will study the water consumption pattern of the metered connections and will accordingly ask for water,'' said a senior NDMC official.
With state government introducing this scheme, the civic agency is likely to withdraw the benefit -free water up to six kilolitre per meter- given by it to the consumers. "It is subject to clearance from DJB. If we get free water up to 20 kilolitre per meter from DJB, then we will provide the facility,'' said a senior official.
Similarly, the civic agency is planning to rationalize electricity tariff. After the new subsidy, tariff in NDMC areas will be higher than the rest of the city. "If we get the subsidy, then we will also moot a proposal to bring down tariff so that the rates are uniform throughout the city,'' said an official.
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AMC to introduce new tech for road repairs
Friday, 03 January 2014 11:48
administrator
The Times of India 03.01.2014 AMC to introduce new tech for road repairs
AHMEDABAD: After drawing flak for poor roads after monsoons and reprimand from high court for poor maintenance of road quality, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) is in discussion to introduce two new techniques. One being introducing road micro-resurfacing machines, recently introduced in Surat and used by the National Highway Authority of India, and the other being specialized compaction meters - the size of a lawn mower - for checking road quality while it is being constructed.
In micro-resurfacing a truck-mounted machine resurfaces the road. Once repairs are done, traffic can ply within two hours after the top surface dries. While conventional road resurfacing costs Rs 350 per sq m, micro-surfacing can bring down the cost to Rs 200 per sq m. The technique uses three to six mm of bitumen aggregate which is treated with a special emulsion consisting of advanced polymers and additives. The layer is then neatly cast on the road that requires repairs.
The second instrument - the compaction meter - will check the strength and quality of a newly laid road surfaces. This way the responsibility can be immediately fixed on the contractor. The machine, when placed on the road, sends electromagnetic waves that penetrate the road surface and travel 40 mm deep and bounce back. A reading of the reflected waves would measure empty spaces between the tar and the gravel. The lesser the empty space, the stronger and denser the road and better is its quality.
The two technologies are vital as despite guarantee terms, contractors escape costly repairs as telephone companies, piped gas and electricity companies break roads to do repairs. "In the end, the AMC has to bear all expenses as the contractor claims that the guarantee terms become null and void. Till August beginning last year, if there were 176 road stretches that required repairs, the AMC ended up repairing 153 road stretches," said a senior AMC official.
Civic body may raise neutering rate to Rs 650 per dog
Friday, 03 January 2014 11:42
administrator
The Times of India 03.01.2014 Civic body may raise neutering rate to Rs 650 per dog
AHMEDABAD: The health committee of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has now realized that the four agencies involved in neutering of dogs over the last two years are not able to meet the daily target for dogs neutered - i.e., 120 dogs a day. In fact, the agencies were cutting corners to be able to meet their daily costs as they were not paid enough money for the job by the AMC. This was defeating the purpose for which the agencies were hired. In fact, two agencies have already refused to continue working for the AMC.
Sources in the civic body said that as a result, the civic body is likely to revise the rate to Rs 650 per dog and the agencies would be required to neuter 200 dogs a day.
In Ahmedabad, one finds a dog every 25 meters and, according to the 2010 census, there are 2.5 lakh stray dogs in the city.
A senior member of the health committee said they were still in the discussion stage. "The new conditions would include a Rs 200 hike in the existing rate for neutering dogs. The revised rate will be Rs 650 per dog. We would also include some other stringent conditions. We would like the agencies to neuter 200 dogs a day. We have realized that neutering of dogs was not taking place earnestly," said the health committee member. What has flummoxed the AMC's cattle menace department is that the two NGOs which were engaged for the task claimed that they worked for 4 hours a day as a surgeon needs 10 minutes to neuter a dog. The agencies were required to neuter 90 to 110 dogs a day.
In fact, according to AMC records, 45,011 dogs were neutered in 2007 with the help of just one NGO at the rate of Rs 550 per dog. In the financial year 2012-13, the AMC paid three NGOs at the rate of Rs 445 per dog. Yet the AMC was paying the NGOs less than what they had earned five years ago, thereby forcing them tweak a few neutering numbers. Also, for almost three months during monsoon, there was no neutering of dogs.
The NGOs had earlier claimed that they require a minimum of Rs 725 per dog to be able to sustain the work. The money is needed for salaries of dog catchers, nurses, helpers and doctors as well as cost of equipment and medicines, the NGOs said.
A senior member of one of the NGOs explained why an average of 40 dogs a day cannot be sterilized regularly. "During monsoon, surgeries are difficult as stitches don't hold. The festival season also slowed down our drive. But winter will see more dogs sterilized from our zone. Every dog that is neutered has to be compulsorily vaccinated against rabies by the agencies. 'Raksharab', the anti-rabies injection, alone costs Rs 236 for 10 doses.
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