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PCMC begins razing illegal structures falling within floodline

Sunday, 14 April 2013 00:00 administrator
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The Indian Express                14.04.2013

PCMC begins razing illegal structures falling within floodline

After going slow on its demolition drive, the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal administration has now decided to hammer down illegal structures located within the floodlines.

The PCMC has been forced to up its drive after the state government directive in the wake of the Thane incident that killed 75 people.

On Friday, PCMC's Anti-Encroachment Squad started its demolition drive along the river at Kalewadi. As many as seven buildings belonging to various builders were flattened.

Officials said the buildings will be razed on priority as per the municipal commissioner's directive. Officials added the drive was suspended for three week as police protection was not available.

After the Thane incident, Municipal Commissioner Shrikar Pardeshi had said that the PCMC would make a list of 'dangerous' structures and raze them. The state government had directed action against 'dangerous building.'

Officials said before monsoon, buildings located close to rivers and violate the floodline norms will be razed on priority.

Earlier, the civic chief had promised that his administration would take action against all illegal structures. Civic activists said most of the structures are located in Pimpri, Chinchwad, Kasarwadi, Gurav Pimple, Sangvi and other areas.

Religious structures have also come up without PCMC's permit along the rivers where huge crowds gather. Most of these structures use electricity illegally.

"What is shocking is that despite the commissioner's directive, power and water are freely available for these religious structures. The religious structures take power from the nearest pole which is potentially very dangerous," said activist Sachin Godambe.

Activists said the religious structures enjoy political patronage and PCMC officials are afraid of taking action against them.

Meanwhile, the state government has rejected the proposal put forth by the Pimpri Chinchwad New Town Development Authority (PCNTDA) to regularise 15,029 illegal structures in Nigdi, Bhosari, Wakad, Thergaon, Rahatani and Chikhali. A PCNTDA spokesperson said, "Now that the government has disapproved the proposal, these houses are likely to be demolished soon."

However, senior offiicals said the PCNTDA would again request the state to regularise the structures after levying fines. "We hope the government will see reason behind our request," officials said.

PCNTDA had sent the proposal to regularise these houses, to the state government, on December 28, 2011.

These structures have been constructed on PCNTDA reserved land. The proposal to regularise these houses has been pending with the state government for the last 15 months.

 

LMC removes BSP hoardings on eve of Ambedkar birth anniversary

Sunday, 14 April 2013 00:00 administrator
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The Indian Express                14.04.2013

LMC removes BSP hoardings on eve of Ambedkar birth anniversary

Hours after the BSP workers erected hoardings in Gomti Nagar area surrounding Ambedkar Memorial where the party is going to hold a function on Sunday morning to celebrate the birth anniversary of Dr BR Ambedkar, Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) removed most of the hoardings saying they were put without permission. The hoarding were put up in the wee hours of Saturday.

The BSP termed the LMC's move as vindictive mindset of Samajwadi Party (SP) government to stop the party from celebrating Ambedkar's birth anniversary. BSP general secretary Naseemuddin Siddiqui reached at the place where the LMC workers were removing the hoardings and objected against it.

He said the SP government, which is working with the vindictive mindset, has done all this to insult the constitution maker. Siddiqui said the LMC had given permission to erect 515 hoardings but they erected only about hundred and even those were removed by the officials. He said the LMC left only a few hoardings after he protested against the removal and sought the list of areas which are prohibited for erecting the hoardings.

"The hoardings of the chief minister have been erected in this area for months but they were never removed. We put the hoardings just for a day to celebrate the birth anniversary of Babasaheb Ambedkar but they are removed immediately. I know this is not the area prohibited for erecting hoardings. I have asked the LMC to provide the list of prohibited areas and if they do not provide the same, we will then think of re-erecting the hoardings," Siddiqui said.

While LMC city commissioner R K Singh could not be reached for his comments despite repeated attempts, R K Gupta, LMC's zonal officer, said the BSP had been given permission to erect hoarding only at the structures which already exist. He said only the hoardings which were not put at pre-built structures were removed.

 

Corporation comes to the aid of workers

Saturday, 13 April 2013 00:00 administrator
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The New Indian Express                13.04.2013

Corporation comes to the aid of workers

The Kochi corporation is planning to ensure the safety and hygienic conditions of the workers after the wake of Aroor Church incident where two workers lost life | EPS
The Kochi corporation is planning to ensure the safety and hygienic conditions of the workers after the wake of Aroor Church incident where two workers lost life | EPS

In the wake of the recent incident where a church collapsed at Aroor wherein two workers lost their lives, the Kochi Corporation is planning to  conduct inspections on various construction sites in the city to make sure that the workers, especially the migrant labourers, are provided with enough safety equipment, hygienic conditions and basic facilities.

Though the Corporation has launched a plan to ensure the safety and security of migrant labourers in the city, it failed to execute the plan effectively which invited criticisms from various quarters.

“Recently, the State Government had given instructions to provide break for construction workers who work for long hours under the scorching heat. The   inspections will make sure that the workers are given mandatory break. Along with that, we will also look whether a proper register is being maintained at the construction sites for the migrant workers and whether they are provided with insurance and other necessary privileges,” Ashraf added.

He said the civic body will also make sure that the migrant workers are provided with proper accommodation as instructed by the District Labour Officer.

“We are planning to launch more programmes for the welfare of migrant population by joining hands with CREDAI,” he added.The Corporation will also organise summer check up medical camps for the for the migrant workers.

Meanwhile, CREDAI officials said the builders have already launched a plan to collect the details of the migrant population in the city. “The CREDAI has advised all the builders to keep the details of migrant labourers with them. Almost all of them are doing this. We have been gathering details of the total number of migrant workers in Kochi from the contractors including photo and voters identity card details. The builders have been doing this much before it had made mandatory,” said CREDAI president Antony Kunnel.

According to a recent survey, it was estimated that Kerala has a total of  2.5 million migrant labour population engaged mainly at construction sector. A majority of the migrant workers are from Orissa, West Bengal, Assam and Uttar Pradesh.

 
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