The Hindu         05..01.2015   

Decision on notifying master plan to be taken up soon

Government has to take a final decision on notifying the master plan within the next three months, consequent to a court directive.— PHOTO: M.A. SRIRAM

A decision on notifying the Mysore Master Plan 2031 will be taken up soon and a crucial meeting will take place in Bengaluru between the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday.

The Mysore-Nanjangud Local Planning Area – 2031 or simply the ‘Mysore Master Plan – 2031’ was unveiled in August 2012 but is yet to be notified following stringent criticisms against it.

MUDA chairman K.R. Mohan Kumar told The Hindu that both the Chief Minister and the district in-charge Minister have been apprised of the urgency of notifying the plan, without which planning by local bodies would be held up.

‘Govt. to decide’

“The final decision is left to the government to either accept the plan or reject it, though it is unlikely that the entire exercise would be allowed to go waste,” said Mr. Kumar.

Whatever the outcome of the January 8 meeting, the government has to take a final decision on notifying the master plan within the next three months consequent to a court directive, he pointed out.

“The court took cognisance of the delay in notification after a petition was filed and gave eight months time to the government, of which five months is already over,” the MUDA chairman added.

There were more than 1,880 objections to the original master plan document from members of the public, including NGOs and bodies like the Builders Association of India and the Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI), who sought a higher floor-area ratio in the city.

The objections were filed when the BJP was at the helm of affairs in Karnataka. The government incorporated the suggestions and carried out modifications to the original plan. However, there was a new government before the plan could be notified, giving the new MLAs another opportunity to incorporate their suggestions.

Mr. Kumar said the revised document was ready but it had to be notified for legal sanctity.

“It is mandatory for the government not only to place the objections on record but spell out the reasons for overruling the objections. Otherwise the exercise of calling for objections would be reduced to a mockery of public involvement,” said H.V.S. Murthy, an advocate.

The Hindu         31.12.2014     

VMC to rope in residents to keep canals clean

C. Hari Kiran, Municipal Commissioner

With increasing complaints about the rampant pollution in three canals in the city pouring in, the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) is planning to seek the help of resident welfare associations in ensuring cleanliness along the canal bunds and curbing the practice of dumping waste into the water bodies.

During a recent survey, the corporation authorities had identified more than 30 locations, which were easily accessed by various commercial establishments to dump trash in Bandar, Ryves and Eluru canals . In a bid to keep a check on this practice, the authorities are now planning to construct walls at such locations.VMC Commissioner C. Hari Kiran, who inspected different areas abutting the canals, wanted the officials to seek the help of residents to stop the practice of dumping of waste into the canals. Awareness programmes should be conducted over the importance of disposing of garbage in dumper bins and different developmental works should be taken up with their assistance.

Residents can alert authorities, if they come across establishments or people dumping trash in the canals. He warned the municipal staff that garbage should be dumped in the dumper bins and should avoid polluting the canals by throwing the trash into them. He said respective sanitary inspectors would be held responsible, if municipal staff did not mend their ways and departmental action would be initiated against the inspectors.

Expressing displeasure over the poor maintenance of greenery at the Tummalapalli Kalakshetram, he instructed authorities to ensure cleanliness and increase greenery in the area. Later, he visited Hanumanpeta and other areas, said a press release.

Sanitary inspectors to be taken to task for dumping of trash into canals

Plans afoot to build walls at 30 pollution-prone locations along Bandar, Eluru and Ryves canals