The Times of India                 29.09.2010

Security measures: PMC headquarters to have separate fire station

PUNE: The standing committee of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Tuesday approved the civic administration's proposal of a permanent fire brigade station for the main PMC building in Shivajinagar.

"This fire station will have a two lakh litre water tank, smoke detectors, pipelines and other basic infrastructure. This was a much needed step," said standing committee chairman Arvind Shinde on Tuesday.

Ever since the bomb blast at German Bakery on February 13, security at public places, malls and multiplexes has come under scrutiny. An expert committee under the chairmanship of N V Merani, former principal secretary of the Public Works Department, had suggested certain regulations that needed to be followed.

The special regulations envisage provision for security outposts, approach roads with sufficient restraints to prevent direct movement of vehicles towards structures, a control room for security and electronic surveillance operations, light controls, fire-safety requirements and buildings with blast-resistant designs.

The standing committee also approved funds of Rs 47 lakh for the beautification of Ambil Odha, while Rs 18 lakh were approved for a protection wall around Pashan lake.

"The civic body has received funds from the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) for protecting water bodies in the city and the funds for Ambil Odha and Pashan lake are part of the same. The standing committee also approved Rs 25 crore for Dhayari to Nanded phata on Sinhagad road," said Shinde.

The PMC is planning to raise a protective three-foot wall and a five-foot mesh along the 15-km Ambil Odha and six other streams and nullahs to protect them from dumping and encroachments.

The committee also approved Rs 8.5 crore for construction of approach road to Sangamwadi.

Hindustan Times  29.09.2010

After cracking down on slums and building construction sites for breeding mosquitoes, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has now trained its sights on housing societies and individual households to tackle breeding sites inside them. According to statistics available with the civic body, in September, there were 6,000 positive cases of malaria and dengue, of which 10 per cent are due to mosquitoes breeding insides private premises.

“The civic body will now be tackling breeding sites inside societies, building compounds and homes with the help of local groups and advanced locality managements,” said additional municipal commissioner, Manisha Mhaiskar.

One such awareness drive was flagged off in Bandra on Tuesday, where the ALMs, various groups and civic officials came together. Mhaiskar, too, was present at the meeting.

She said information pamphlets and manuals stating dos and don’ts would be distributed by these groups in the neighbourhood. Meanwhile, the civic body, in order to generate mass awareness about mosquito-borne diseases, the civic body has launched a 2.5-minute public service advertisement starring Nana Patekar, which was released by Mayor Shraddha Jadhav, on Tuesday.

The advertisement appeals to people to maintain a clean and hygienic environment and take timely treatment to prevent the disease. The ad will be shown in theatres, malls and public places.

The BMCplans to make more such films under the Mumbai Aarogya Abhiyaans.