Urban News

The Hindu 27.09.2009

Two advocates for Nagercoil municipality

Staff Reporter

Nagercoil: Two persons have been appointed as municipal advocates following an increase in the number of cases involving the municipality. The appointment, which was delayed for the last two months due to difference of opinion among the councillors, came to an end after N. Rajadurai and N. Chidambaram Pillai were appointed at a council meeting here on Friday.

Presiding over the meeting, Chairman Asokan Solomon said that it had been resolved to bring in tax revision for unoccupied properties from October 1 as per a Government order. As many as 289 resolutions were taken up for discussion during the meeting. Tax rate for vacant land has been fixed based on market value. For vacant land located in residential areas, the revised property tax would be 20 to 40 paise per square feet, while 30 to 50 paise would be levied for lands lying near arterial thoroughfares but without bus facilities. The tax for vacant land near arterial roads with bus facilities would be 40 to 60 paise.

Despite councillors belonging to AIADMK, MDMK and BJP objected to the tax revision, the chairman pointed out that it was an Government Order and expressed inability to reduce the tax.

Councillor Udayakumar showed adulterated water being distributed to residents of his ward following construction works being carried out without getting proper permission from the municipality resulting in impurities getting mixed with potable water.

He also demanded the municipality to remove unauthorised advertisement hoardings near bus shelters in the town. AIADMK councillor Seenu pointed out that the pedestrian subway constructed at a cost of Rs. 65 lakh connecting CPR Park and Anna bus stand to decongest traffic had become weak and posed a threat to the passengers after a few days of inauguration. When questioned about the quality of the work, the contractor had used reproachful comments on few councillors.

The councillors demanded the Chairman to take action against the contractor and make another assessment of the quality of subway.

The Chairman said that those councillors who were dissatisfied with the work must lodge complaints personally instead of raising it in the council meeting.

The Hindu 27.09.2009

Mosquito density in Chennai down

Deepa H. Ramakrishnan

CHENNAI: Following intensive fogging and spraying operations by the Chennai Corporation, the mosquito density in the city has come down from 80 to the sub-40 level per ten man-hours.

An official of the Corporation’s Health Department said that mosquito density was arrived at by dividing the total number of mosquitoes caught by the number of minutes taken to catch them. The result so obtained is multiplied by 600 minutes (10 man-hours).

The mosquitoes are caught using suction tubes. The official added that if the density was below 50 it was considered low, between 50 and 83 medium and 84 and beyond, high.

According to data provided by the civic body, in Tondiarpet, Stanley Nagar in Washermenpet and M.G.R. Nagar and Kutcheri Road in Mylapore the density was 80 during a survey on September 12 and 13. In Anna Nagar it was 72, Spurtank Road 48, G.N. Chetty Road 64 and Lloyds Road 72.

A similar survey on September 19 and 20 found that the density had come down to sub-40 levels in all areas except Anna Nagar, where it was 48.

Corporation Health Officer P. Kuganantham said: “The civic body started fogging and spraying operations on August 31. We are concentrating on the breeding and resting places of mosquitoes. Anti-larvicide is being sprayed in canals, slum areas, parks and stormwater drain networks in the mornings and these areas are fogged in the evenings.”

Mayor M. Subramanian said that unlike in the past, this year, the civic body was conducting intense fogging and spraying operations. “We are also undertaking de-silting operations in canals to prevent breeding of mosquitoes.”

Residents of several localities, however, say there is little change in the situation. Krishnamurthi, a resident of Abhiramapuram, said: “We did not see any fogging or spraying operation taking place in our area.”

Annathurai of Moolakothalam said his locality, located between a garbage dump and a graveyard and the Cooum river in the neighbourhood, was infested with mosquitoes. “Though the Corporation undertakes regular fogging operations, it is of little use.”