The Hindu              03.07.2013

Corporation identifies vending zones

Taking a step forward towards the implementation of the National Policy on Urban Street Vendors, the City Corporation has identified vending zones in each of the four zones in the city.

The national policy recognises street vending as an integral part of the urban retail trade and provides street vendors legal status. Street vendors are to be enumerated ward wise and each street vendor will be registered by the town vending committee and issued identity cards. The policy recommends that municipal authorities provide a range of civic services to street vendors, including allocation of designated areas for their trade.

Keeping in line with the national policy, the Corporation has identified about 80 places, 20 in Srirangam zone, 15 in Golden Rock, 37 in Ariyamangalam and eight in K.Abishekapuram zone, where vendors will be allowed to operate. All other places in the city will be treated as non-vending zones. The list of vending zones was approved by the Corporation Council recently and is expected to be notified soon.

Significantly, the list of vending zones does not include roads in the city’s main commercial area such as the NSB Road, Big Bazaar Street, Singarathope and Nandhi Kovil Street, where a large number of vendors operate everyday. Enquiries revealed that the Corporation was planning to accommodate the vendors operating in these areas on the Old Goodshed Road and a few other places.

The Corporation Council has already approved the constitution of a town vending committee to register street vendors as laid down in the national policy. The town vending committee will be empowered to collect a fee and monthly maintenance charge, depending on the location and type of business.

The Corporation would now collect applications from vendors to register them, allocate sites and issue identity cards. Based on the number of applications received, the Corporation would decide the list of vendors for each place.

The Hindu               02.07.2013

Dog menace: HC seeks report from Madurai Corporation

M. Vandhana

The petitioner sought administration of ‘fatal injection’ to rabid dogs

The Madras High Court bench here on Monday directed Madurai Corporation to submit a report on the steps taken to control rabies in Madurai. A division bench comprising Justices S.Rajeswaran and T.Mathivanan issued the direction while hearing a public interest litigation seeking to control stray dog menace in the city.

The petitioner, C.Ezhilarasu, an advocate, sought a direction to the officials to administer “fatal injection” to rabid dogs in order prevent spread of rabies.

Shortage of vehicle

His counsel W.Peter Rameshkumar contended that there were a large number of dogs in the city but only one vehicle was available to transport them to the sterilisation and vaccination centre in Sellur.

The number of professional dog catchers in city was inadequate, he added.

On Monday, S.Murugan, sanitary inspector of Madurai Corporation, appeared before the judges.

Referring to an article published in The Hindu (Stray dogs rule city streets) on July 1, the judges said the dog menace was an issue that needed serious concern.

Citing the details in the article that said the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) received 60 new cases (adults) and 40 cases of children who are bitten by street dogs every day, the judges said, “This is a social menace. We cannot afford to lose the children and elders. Something has to be done since it is a matter of serious concern.”

Referring to a statement made by N.Mohan, Dean, Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH), in the article, they impleaded the Blue Cross, Chennai, as one of the respondents in the petition and ordered a notice.

Permanent solution

Mr.Mohan had said that rabies-infected dogs went on the rampage in the cities, towns and municipalities and that the streets of Madurai could be safe only if Blue Cross and others came out with a permanent solution. The article could be taken as a prima facie evidence for the dog menace in the city, the judges noted.

The judges further instructed the District Collector to submit a report on the availability of medicines in the GRH to treat emergency rabies cases and on the treatment being given to the rabies-infected patients.

“When the rabies-infected dogs are found on the roads, the authorities should immediately eradicate them,” the judges observed.

The case has been posted to July 9.

This is a social menace. We cannot afford to lose the children and elders. Something has to be done since it is a matter of serious concern