India Newspapers

MCC hopes to revive dying lake

Monday, 20 July 2009 10:37 administrator

Times of India 20.07.2009

MCC hopes to revive dying lake

MYSORE: The historical Doddakere could be revived, if the Mysore City Corporation has its way.

The civic body, which is planning to adopt the public-private partnership model to maintain Mysore's brand value as the heritage city, could preserve the sanctity of the lake if its plans get through. Owing to lack of funds, the civic body has not been able to maintain the monuments of historical significance. Be it the Curzon Park, Nishat Bagh or People's Park, the MCC is waiting for government funds to give them a facelift.

While Curzon Park abutting the Mysore Palace Fort and the Nishat Bagh with glass-topped bandstand are revived under Rs 100-crore special grants from CM B S Yeddyurappa, the Gopura Garden which is the last link to the famed Doddakere is waiting for its rejuvenation.

The MCC in 2001 moved in to protect the site marking the boundary and developing it as a park naming it as Gopura Garden. Eight years down the line, it has degraded owing to lack of maintenance. There are no guards to protect its sanctity either and the site has everything yet lost its verve. Why? The MCC has some 100 staff to maintain 218 parks attached to it.

The MCC Council is going in detail the proposal to develop and maintain parks in the city under the PPP model. The civic body has 218 parks in its control and is getting 442 parks developed in new layouts by Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA).

The Gopura Garden links Mysore to one of its oldest water holes, which jazzed up the surroundings in the central part of the royal city when it was still a small town. A vandalized gopura at the site stands as a mute spectator to the happenings around while cattle grazing at the open space holds mirror to its maintenance.

Devaraja Lake, popularly known as Doddakere, was one of biggest lakes in the city that was a value addition to Mysore Palace. It was a source of water for inhabitants around. Located to the east of the Mysore Fort, it was in use some 100 years ago. Surrounded by open space mainly used by rulers of Mysore, the water body was a sight to behold. In its surroundings were Summer Palace, Vasanth Mahal, Palace stables, which is now KSRP HQ, and Karanji Mansion, the villa of sister of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar.

Paying house tax through your bank

Monday, 20 July 2009 09:58 administrator

Times of India 20.07.2009

Paying house tax through your bank

LUCKNOW: Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) is frantically searching for its untapped sources of house tax, one of the most important sources of revenue for the fund starved municipal body.

A series of steps have already been initiated with an aim to recover the tax which residents often shirk from paying following the lack of civic amenities. "There are others who are simply evading the tax because of apathy or because of the hassles people face while depositing the house tax in any of the zonal office,'' said a senior municipal official.

Now, you might not have to slog anymore if the LMC's plans are anything to go by. To begin with, in a bid to make the process hassle-free, the LMC is all set to enter into an agreement with two nationalised banks through which one can deposit the house tax while sitting in house or office.

According to municipal commissioner, Shailesh Kumar Singh, they would soon enter into an agreement with the two banks -- State Bank of India (SBI) and Union Bank. All that one would need is to have an account in one of the two banks and the internet account activated.

The LMC has already entered into an agreement with the private sector Bank HDFC and the collection has started. "About Rs 25,000 has already been collected,'' said a senior LMC official associated with the house tax collection.

Officials said that they would also involve some private service providers for collection of the crucial tax which one pays in lieu of civic amenities which the municipal body provides.

This is not all. Singh said that they are in the process of changing the existing software which only allows deposition of the house tax in the zonal office only. But with the new software in the making, one would be able to deposit the house tax in any of the zonal office. "It would be transferred to the respective zonal office within 15 days,'' said the municipal commissioner. Municipal officials said that the counter would be established in the existing zonal offices only.

l Have an account in the associated bank

l Get your internet bank account enabled

l Get yourself registered on the LMC's web site -- www.lmc.up.nic.in -- for a user name and password

l Enter one's house ID

l The website gives you the option of the bank

l Complete the transaction and download the receipt

Nearly 10 % of state's urban population at risk

Monday, 20 July 2009 08:27 administrator

Times of India 20.07.2009

Nearly 10 % of state's urban population at risk

JAIPUR: Concern was expressed over the increasing number of sudden deaths by heart failure' at a summit of cardiac specialists held in the city on Sunday. Doctors at the summit said that heart failure has emerged as the largest killer and the syndrome is more frequent among younger people. Changing lifestyle, family history and negligence of initial symptoms were said to be the major reasons for casualties in these cases.

"Nearly 10 % of the urban population in Rajasthan is at risk of cardiac problems, 4 % of the rural population too is at a risk. However, those with a family history of serious heart troubles must be very cautious," said Dr Sanjay Mittal.

He said that awareness should be increased to avoid undue deaths from heart failure. "It has been noticed that regular exercise and balanced lifestyle can reverse the ill effects enabling a person to live a healthy life for a longer span," he added.

The doctors discussed various aspects related to heart failure. "The arteries of Indian people are narrower than those of the people in the West. This combined with excessive use of fatty food has been threatening the cardiac health of the country and India is expected to become the heart disease capital of the world in the coming days," said Dr Balbir Singh, a senior cardiac consultant from New Delhi.

The doctors also expressed their concern over ungoverned and non judicious use of medicines and said that only if a person shows symptoms of hypertension for more than a period of three continuous weeks should he be considered a patient of hypertension and be referred to medication.