Urban News

  • Increase font size
  • Default font size
  • Decrease font size
India Newspapers

Rs 19.13crore sanctioned for municipality capacity building

Saturday, 25 January 2014 09:04 administrator
Print PDF

The Times of India             25.01.2014 

Rs 19.13crore sanctioned for municipality capacity building

PANAJI: The central government has sanctioned 19.13 crore for the 'capacity building' of Goa's municipalities in the next four years, urban development minister Francis D'Souza said on Friday.

D'Souza told mediapersons that his department had written to the Centre requesting for funds to strengthen the municipal councils in Goa, which he said lack administrative as well as technical staff.

The state government is in the process of now appointing 18 engineers to the 14 municipal councils in the state. D'Souza said that when the government sanctioned money to all 14 councils to undertake a signature project in their jurisdiction as part of Goa's golden jubilee celebrations, only two councils were able to plan or execute such a project. The councils did not have the capacity to plan or undertake such projects, he said.

D'Souza said community organizers have been appointed in all councils, except Margao, to prepare projects for the urban poverty schemes.

In addition to the two 100 ton/day garbage treatment plants planned at Calangute and Cacora, D'Souza also announced plans to build smaller garbage treatment plants in Bicholim (only for plastic waste) and one 10 ton/day 'plasma' garbage treatment plant at Ponda. He said the plant will generate about three megawatt of power from the processing of the garbage, which the company wants the government to purchase. The Ponda municipal council has shown willingness to build this plant, D'Souza said. The state has to look at treating around 500 tonnes of garbage daily and hence the need to build smaller plants, he said.

 

Sewer, water connections at Deep Complex get MC nod

Friday, 24 January 2014 08:37 administrator
Print PDF

The Indian Express              24.01.2014

Sewer, water connections at Deep Complex get MC nod

MC house meeting in progress on Thursday.Jasbir Malhi 

The general house of the municipal corporation, on Thursday, gave its approval for providing connections for drinking water and sewerage to residents of Deep Complex at Hallomajra. The issue, which has been raging for several months, was passed after much deliberation on various aspects.

The agenda for providing water and sewerage connections in the area was approved in April 2013. Though the UT Administration had given clearance for laying of water pipelines, clearance for sewer lines was awaited. Owing to this, the agenda had been approved conditionally.

The past few months also saw a credit war ensuing between the Congress and BSP. Both parties claimed to have got the approval for the work.

The civic body had recently received a letter from the UT Administration, which was brought up for discussion in the general house meet. According to the letter, the UT Administrator had accorded approval for providing essential services such as drinking water and drainage for used water. It further stated that any alternative more suitable for the purpose shall be adopted by the Administration.

The letter further stated that the capital cost would be recovered by the municipal corporation by way of connection charges, which the MC shall fix.

One-third of the cost of the project would be borne by residents themselves.

Area councillor Jannat Jahan (BSP) said the cost could be recovered from the residents in installments and that once the connections were provided, the money could be collected as part of the bills.

The letter also stated that the services were being provided on a provisional basis and should not be construed as regularisation of the area.

According to Jannat, there was no other alternate in the area as the residents were already maintaining water supply through tankers. Pipelines would have to be laid for regular supply, she said.

 

3,498 Homeless in Hyderabad: GHMC Survey

Friday, 24 January 2014 07:11 administrator
Print PDF

The New Indian Express               24.01.2014 

3,498 Homeless in Hyderabad: GHMC Survey

GHMC has revealed that a total of 3,498 people, including 978 women sleep on roads, pavements, open spaces without proper shelter and there are 447 such locations around the city. Express File Photo
GHMC has revealed that a total of 3,498 people, including 978 women sleep on roads, pavements, open spaces without proper shelter and there are 447 such locations around the city. Express File Photo

Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation’s Rapid Survey of Shelters conducted during between January 20-21 by deploying about 95 teams all across 18 circles of GHMC has revealed that a total of 3,498 people, including 978 women sleep on roads, pavements, open spaces without proper shelter and there are 447 such locations around the city.

The survey was held after the GHMC commissioner Somesh Kumar, reviewed the functioning of the existing shelters and it was proposed to conduct a rapid survey to know the field problems so that the concept of Night Shelter can be analysed and strengthened.

While 1,209 had migrated to the city for a livelihood and had found themselves homeless, around 724 were on the roads after arriving in the city as patient attendants for medical treatments. Nearly 488 of them were in the city for temporary works and another 127 of them were just in transit. Over 300 had no permanent home  whereas 647 had various other reasons for sleeping on roads.

Of the total 3,498, around 1,539 expressed their willingness to shift to a GHMC night shelter. And of the total, 1,078 were beggars. South zone topped the list of those who were here in the city with temporary works and those who had migrated for a livelihood where as those who had come for medical treatments and as patient attendants were the most in Central zone.

The GHMC has compiled and analysed the data in terms of gender, nature of stay, occupation and area of operation to make suitable arrangements to the shelterless people. The corporation is now preparing a plan to address the issue of shelterless in Hyderabad involving various stakeholders.

 
More Articles...


Page 336 of 4907