Despite fall in level, 15 more tube wells in city
Friday, 31 August 2012 06:29
administrator
The Times of India 31.08.2012
Despite fall in level, 15 more tube wells in city
LUDHIANA: Ludhiana and Khanna have been notified of the alarming fall in the groundwater table in their periphery by the Central Ground Water Authority of India.
But, this has not deterred the municipal corporation (MC) from
approving installation of tube wells and submersible pumps, as the
finance and contracts committee of the civic body itself gave a green
signal to installation of 15 submersible pumps in the city.Even Ludhiana deputy commissioner had recently ordered not to dig tube
wells for collective or individual use without seeking permission from
the MC, specifying that the domestic tube well motors cannot be of over
1hp capacity and only one tube well can be installed by a person. If a
previously installed tube well is faulty, an undertaking of the faulty
tube well, mentioning it will be used as a recharge well to improve
groundwater level, will have to be submitted.The 15 tube wells
approved by the MC are mostly of 25hp capacity and only a few of these
are replacements of faulty ones, while most are new addition to the
existing tube wells in the city. The act seems irresponsible while there
have not been any efforts by the civic body to construct recharge
wells.Only two of MC's own offices, that of zone A and zone D,
have rain water harvesting systems. This proves the seriousness of
civic body to implement laws for conserving water resources, which make
it mandatory for very building of over 250 square yards area to have a
rainwater harvesting system.Municipal commissioner R K Verma
said, ""We will work on a project concerned with bringing surface water
in the city, instead of working on ground water replenishing, as the
state government is very serious about this project"".
Last Updated on Friday, 31 August 2012 06:31
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Post-1995 slums will not get individual water connections, govt tells high court
Friday, 31 August 2012 05:29
administrator
The Times of India 31.08.2012
Post-1995 slums will not get individual water connections, govt tells high courtMUMBAI: No individual water connections will be given to post-1995 slumdwellers, the government emphasized before the Bombay high court on Thursday.The state said civic corporations have been asked to appoint designated
officers to deal with the issue of illegal slums and such officers
could face a jail term of up to three months and/or a fine of Rs 20,000
for failing to take action against unauthorized construction. Hearing a PIL filed by Pani Haq Samiti
challenging the state's decision to deny water supply to post-1995
slums, a division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice Nitin
Jamdar asked the BMC to file its response. "All municipal commissioners
and chief officers of the state were instructed to ensure that no
(individual) water connection was given to unauthorized constructions,"
an affidavit filed by Seema Dhamdhere, joint secretary in the urban
development department, said. The affidavit was submitted by assistant
government pleader Milind More. "Slumdwellers living in
structures that have come up after 1995 have no locus standi and those
structures are expected to be demolished. Individual post-paid water
connections should not be given to non-protected (post-1995) slumdwellers
as it would create problems in recovery of water bills if these
hutments were to be demolished," said the affidavit, justifying a 1996
circular. According to the government, local municipal authorities had
been asked to provide drinking water in such slums through a common
connection or public water booths. The affidavit further said
municipal bodies in the state have been asked to appoint zone-wise
designated officers to remove illegal structures. "The main intention
behind the circular was to prevent unauthorized construction
and encroachments on public land in municipal areas in the state, which
are a matter of serious concern," said the affidavit by Dhamdhere.If new illegal constructions come up, then such officers could be
placed under suspension and subjected to a departmental inquiry. Failure
to take action could result in prosecution under the BMC Act. No individual water connections for post-1995 slumdwellers
Post-'95 slums to have only common connections or public water booths
Designated officers to be appointed to tackle illegal slums If any new illegal structure comes up on the watch of the designated
officer, she/he will face suspension and a departmental inquiry On being convicted for failure to take action against encroachments,
the officer concerned can be punished with a prison term of up to three
months and/or a fine of up to Rs 20,000
Last Updated on Friday, 31 August 2012 05:43
SMC to extend time limit for regularization of illegal water connections in city
Thursday, 30 August 2012 10:49
administrator
The Times of India 30.08.2012 SMC to extend time limit for regularization of illegal water connections in citySURAT: Following the very poor response from the citizens , Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has decided to extend the limit for regularization of illegal water connections up to March 31, 2012.
The three proposals for extension will come up in the coming Standing
committee meeting and will be approved as in the city with a population
of 46 lakh and 11 lakh registered houses, the number of legal water
connections are just 5 lakh.
SMC
supplies 750 MLD of potable water to more than 90 per cent areas of the
city limit but the water theft through illegal connections is rampant.
In the city areas like Kataragm and Varacha where illegal building
constructions have taken place in large number in past , the number of
illegal connections is very high.
In the new developing areas
of the city water meters are installed and water audit has started but
the existing illegal connections are a big problem for the civic body.
NG Parekh Hydraulic Engineer SMC said, "We have planned to give one
final chance to the people to get their water connections regularized .
After that we will taken severe punitive action."
The proposals
made for the purpose are for extension up to March 2013, provide water
facility to the constructions taken place before 2010 and regularize water connections for the buildings which have come up after 2010 by charging premium .
Last Updated on Thursday, 30 August 2012 10:50
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