The Hindu              21.01.2014

Agartala to get municipal corporation on statehood day

Syed Sajjad Ali

LF government announces introduction of municipal councils in 10 small towns of Tripura

Agartala municipal council would formally take shape of corporation ton Tuesday — the day Tripura attained statehood in 1972. Tripura’s Left Front government has also announced introduction of municipal councils in ten smaller towns of the State.

The hitherto lone municipal body in the State capital that was created 142 years ago by the erstwhile royals would begin its new journey as Agartala Municipal Corporation to deal with civic amenities in an area of 72 square kilometres. “The first municipality had an area of three sq km and 800 population,” Prafullajit Sinha, chairperson of the municipal council, told The Hindu on Monday.

Burgeoning population

Mr. Sinha would assume office of Mayor on Tuesday the council would transform into a corporation. He said the population in Agartala municipal area has now swelled to 4,20,000 — second largest after Guwahati city in northeast India.

“We are ready to take task of the Municipal Corporation with a fleet of 76 garbage and waste collection vehicles and a big worker force,” Mr. Prafullajit Sinha stated adding they have solid waste management, sewerage pumping, road sweeping and public health issues.

The State government earlier contracted out a Pune-based firm to set up a garbage compost manure in Agartala. Mr. Sinha informed the work for the manure would be completed in few months from now.

Tripura’s Urban Development Minister Manik Dey also announced setting up of municipal councils in ten smaller towns. The existing Nagar Panchayats in the State would turn into municipal councils.

Officials of the Urban Development Department are preparing a scheme for monetary sanction from the Central government to equip new municipal councils with necessary staff and equipment.

Municipal vehicle set afire

Meanwhile, angry vendors set a municipal vehicle on fire and clashed with personnel of municipal task force at Battala area in Agartala on Monday afternoon. The incident occurred after task force started evicting vendors from the road side.

A heavy security deployment brought situation under control. Some sustained minor injuries in the clash, police said.

The Hindu                  09.01.2014

GHMC standing panel nod for development works

Special Correspondent

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Standing Committee which met here on Wednesday accorded administrative sanction for Rs.3.8 crore for widening of the road on either side from Botanical Gardens to Old Bombay road via Masjeed Banda village and also budget for shifting of utilities on this stretch.

New community hall

The meeting chaired by Mayor Mohammed Majid Hussain approved issue of no objection certificate to QQSUDA to dismantle the existing community hall and reconstruct a new one at Malladiki Taleem in Shalibanda and also for community hall at the open place of Kuche Fate Ullah Baig in the GHMC playground, Charminar and a community hall-cum-reading room at Irani Galli.

Sanctions for structure

Administrative sanctions for structures affected under road widening from Zohra Bee Dargah to DRDL, for properties affected under the road widening from Ek Minar Masjid Junction to Bazarghat Junction and for laying road, storm water drain and a footpath near Ayodhya Junction of Lakdikapul were accorded.

New building

The standing committee also approved sanction for Rs.3.3 crore for construction of an auditorium in the open land belonging to Housing Board at Saidabad Colony, Rs.11.57 crore for office building in the western side of GHMC main building and Rs.1.98 crore for construction of bridge across the nala between Prashanth Nagar and Rajiv Gandhi Nagar in Kukatpally circle, according to a press release.

Filling of posts

Apart from approving the agenda on filling of the posts of sanitary supervisors, the GHMC standing committee cleared disbursement of compensation for properties acquired for road widening from NFCL Junction to KBR Junction and for Mehdipatnam to Raidurgam in Shaikpet among others.