The Hindu              10.09.2013

Mosquito control workers barred from Metro Rail sites: Chennai Corporation

The rising mosquito density in localities in the vicinity of metro rail sites and other government offices has been bothering residents. But the Corporation is unable to gain access to such offices and construction sites for carrying out operations.

According to Corporation sources, metro rail construction sites have emerged as breeding sources after the recent rains. But malaria workers of the Chennai Corporation are not permitted to carry out mosquito control operations on the premises by contractors. Corporation employees in charge of mosquito control said the reason cited was often safety concerns. CMRL does not carry out mosquito control operations either.

A CMRL official said Corporation employees are not being denied entry to any of its premises and that such operations were being carried out.

Access to other government buildings, belonging to both the Centre and the State said Corporation sources.

The Central Railway Station, High Court and Ezhilagam premises have recorded relatively higher mosquito density in recent weeks, they added.

“Aedes species from such breeding sites can bother residents in a radius of 800 to one kilometre. Anopheles will fly three to four km. The Chennai Corporation should tackle mosquito breeding,” said B.M. Rex, a pest control consultant.

The civic body has been trying to impose fines on owners of construction sites. Rs.1.75 lakh has been collected from private premises this year.

The Corporation plans to issue stop work notices to private premises that harbour mosquitoes. But it is yet to make a decision on issuing such notices to government buildings or premises.

The Hindu            07.09.2013

Removal of illegal bunk shops under way

The Chennai Corporation on Friday removed unauthorised bunk shops in a number of localities.

A crackdown on unauthorised structures by officials of zones such as Royapuram and Madhavaram extended late into the night on Friday. At least seven structures in Royapuram were removed by Friday evening. Removal of more shops is under way.

“The shops hindered pedestrian movement. Garbage clearance is also affected by them. There are many such shops on Pantheon Road, Montieth Road, Ethiraj Road and Gandhi Irwin Road. But it is also a source of livelihood for some poor people,” said Mohammed Imthias, councillor of ward 61.

“In some cases, poor people are used by others. The latter have commissioned hundreds of shops in many roads and collect money from those who run it,” he added.

Chennai Corporation has so far removed 339 unauthorised bunk shops in various parts of the city.

On Thursday, the civic body made a submission before the First Bench of the Madras High Court comprising acting Chief Justice R.K. Agrawal and Justice M. Sathyanarayanan, when a contempt petition filed by K.R. Ramaswamy alias ‘Traffic’ Ramaswamy came up.

The petitioner had submitted that illegal bunk shops had not been removed, in violation of a court order.

In a counter-affidavit, Corporation Commissioner Vikram Kapur said the officials had started implementing the order.

Bunk shop owners have been instructed to remove the structures and the Corporation will take action on those who fail to remove encroachments on time.

The civic body has identified 518 such shops in the city. There were court cases with regard to 119 of them. The Corporation will complete the removal of all unauthorised bunk shops in two weeks.

After officials removed bunk shops, owners have started using carts to run the same business in some areas.