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Public Health / Sanitation

‘Metro will miss deadline’

Thursday, 04 November 2010 10:30 administrator
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Hindustan Times  04.11.2010

‘Metro will miss deadline’

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) may have announced that the city’s first Metro line — the Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar (VAG) route — will be ready by June 2011, but experts rubbish the claim. The new June 2011 date is one year ahead of the original deadline.

Hindustan Times asked two independent architects — Nitin Killawala and Jagdeep Desai — to assess the planning body’s claims, and both said the project would in all likelihood miss the June 2011 deadline.

According to the MMRDA, 68% of the work is complete for the 11-km line. At least 83% of the piling work is done and 63% of the columns have been built. But that does not mean much, said Killawala.

“Piling work is what happens underground, for a column to be erected on it. All this work should have happened at least a year ago, if the Metro were to be completed in June 2011,” he said.

Desai agrees: “Their own figures say that almost 40% of the columns have not been erected. Further, 17% of the piling work for the columns is not done. How then does the MMRDA expect to complete the line by June?”

The planning body has said that 70% of the columns at 12 stations have been completed. “Again, this implies that 30% of the basic columns are not built,” said Desai.

The fire department’s No Objection Certificate for the project shows a total built-up area of 99,000 square metres for the stations and the yard. “How can an agency construct a built-up area of 99,000 square metres in such a short span? According to me, it is next to impossible,” said Killawala.

The MMRDA has said that except for one station, the remaining 11 stations will be ready by end of April next year.

The project has also faced a setback, with the Western Railway refusing to stop trains for four hours a day for 57 days so that Metro work connecting the east and west sides of Andheri, over the railway tracks, can be done.

Desai said “it does not look convincing” that 68% of the project is complete. “The state of affairs seems poor,” he added. Killawala shares the same opinion.

“The figures depict a sad story. The MMRDA’s arrogance is unnecessary. They should try sticking to the original deadline.”

MMRDA spokesperson Dilip Kawathkar said: “We had a meeting with Mumbai Metro One Pvt Ltd and they gave us a detailed presentation on the status of the work. So we are confident that we will meet the June 2011 deadline.”

Last Updated on Thursday, 04 November 2010 10:33
 

Vasanthnagar: Rat race to garbage

Thursday, 04 November 2010 07:56 administrator
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The New Indian Express  04.11.2010

Vasanthnagar: Rat race to garbage

BANGALORE: Vasanthnagar comes under the assembly constituency of Shivajinagar. The most evident issue in this area is the uneven and rather narrow footpaths with wobbling slabs.

The BBMP workers dig up footpaths frequently and don’t usually lay them back. “Roads have been dug and for the past six months they have been this way, because of which there is absolutely no space for the pedestrians to walk,” said a resident of 2nd Cross Vasanthnagar.

Inadequacy of garbage disposal bins in the area is another cause for concern, The lane opposite MCC popularly called the Loafers Street by students has a huge pile of unattended garbage especially near the 4th cross. Empty plots have been converted into dumpsters. “Garbage collectors do not come to this area on a regular basis and even if they do, they demand money,” said another resident. Heavy rains cause water logging due to improper drainage facilities and some shops in the area are almost unapproachable.

“As a resident of Vasanthnagar for the past many years, I have come to observe that the roads are getting worse, the local authorities have worked on main roads but not small by-lanes. The roads are also being used to dump garbage by the residents since there are no garbage dumpsters available. It is sad to see that the place is infested with rats and cockroaches. Certain empty plots are being used as urinals and the stench is unbearable. Also, the Millers Tank Bund Road has not been maintained properly and is a sorry sight. Only if the roads were maintained, traffic could be directed to that road and congestion could be avoided,” said R P Panduranga, a resident of Vasanthnagar.

Tency, another resident, of the 11th Main which is predominantly a slum said “I have lived here for thirty years. There are no drainage facilities or water pipes. And we have no supply of drinking water. Even basic amenities like construction of toilets is being delayed and we are forced to use the pay and use toilets. It is sad that the corporation has stopped the supply of water and have removed all the public taps. We have to come to the 8th Main to fill water.”

Lack of parking space forces students to park their vehicles on footpaths, thereby blocking passage for the pedestrians. Also, there are no playgrounds for children. Residents also said that the Counsellor is not approachable and hasn’t made any attempt so far in visiting the areas.

On the brighter side there is constant patrolling by the Hoysala police in order to curb the problem of eve teasing. Also, authorities like BESCOM have been extremely cooperative when approached. However, the corporator was unavailable for comment.

Last Updated on Thursday, 04 November 2010 08:02
 

Residents take initiative on dry garbage disposal

Thursday, 04 November 2010 05:04 administrator
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The Hindu       04.11.2010

Residents take initiative on dry garbage disposal

Staff Reporter

VMC is planning to create a dustbin-free city by 2012

Residents of Green House, an apartment, have come out with a humble initiative

They have decided to separate the dry and wet garbage and launched their own effort

VISAKHAPATNAM: The city generates about 900 tons of garbage and the municipal corporation is facing a huge task disposing it off.

It has a huge dumping yard at Kapuluppada to which the collected garbage is taken from the transfer station in the One Town area.

The corporation is gearing itself to implement the mandatory reforms in solid waste management by creating a dustbin-free city by 2012 and also launching other initiatives for an environmental friendly disposal of waste.

Keeping the magnitude of the task in view, the residents of Green House, an apartment in Balayya Sastry Layout, have come out with a humble initiative.

Praiseworthy

To reduce the load on the corporation's garbage collection, they have decided to separate the dry and wet garbage and launched their own effort.

“Two bins have been set up for the dry garbage excluding newspapers. One of them is for plastic bottles and the other for sachets and other plastic materials, covers and cardboard boxes and cartons, toys etc,” says architect Y. Narasimha Rao, who is one of the residents.

All the nine residents of the apartment are enthusiastically participating in the exercise for the last three months.

The collected dry garbage is sold to the traders who in turn sell it for recycling.

The corporation estimates that about 130 grams of dry garbage is generated by each family in the city. Thus more than 200 tons of dry garbage is to be disposed of.

Eco-friendly

Mr. Narasimha Rao estimates that about 10 lakh people generate 90 tons of dry garbage to transport which trucks have to run 1,000 km a day.

That works out to whopping 3.65 lakh km. a year.

He is of the view that any effort to reduce the load would go a long way in conservation.

Official estimates put expenditure on solid waste management at Rs.60 crore while salaries of permanent staff, maintenance, repairs etc cost another Rs.40 crore.

Significant move

The effort of Green House has its significance as the municipal corporation that had entered into a MoU with multi-business conglomerate ITC for collection of garbage in August last shelved the plan after a furore in the general body meeting.

Last Updated on Thursday, 04 November 2010 05:05
 
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