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78 resolutions passed despite ruckus by DMK councillors

Saturday, 28 December 2013 07:21 administrator
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Deccan Chronicle              28.12.2013

78 resolutions passed despite ruckus by DMK councillors

Chennai: The corporation’s council meet on Friday had the usual scenes of walkouts and mocking replies apart from discussions on civic issues.

The council passed 78 resolutions by the end, in­cluding resolutions on procurement of eight li­ght motorised vehicles to catch cattle and imposing company tax in ext­ended areas. The vehicles will be equipped wi­th hydraulic lifts to help lift cattle and load them into the vehicle with ease.

“The corporation needs to monitor the health of cows before and after ta­king them to the Blue Cross,” said DMK councilor V. Vasu. In another resolution, the corporation imposed the paym­e­nt of company tax in the extended regions of Ch­e­nnai. “The imposition of company tax will not affect the lower middle class or the poor community as the tax is applicable only to companies,” mayor Saidai S. Dura­is­amy said.

But political drama took the lead earlier in the day when the mayor charged DMK members for encroaching upon the OSR (open space reservation) land in the DMK headquarters — Anna Arivalayam.

Replying to councilor Arumugam on the OSR land at the Anna Ariv­a­layam, the mayor said, “Around 57 OSR lands have been obtained by the civic body from 2006 to 2007. But the land before the DMK headquarters has not been handed over through any documents to the corporation and the party has misused its power.”

Annoyed by the ma­y­or’s comment, DMK cou­nc­illors staged a walk­o­ut only to return to th­eir seats a few minutes later. “The allegations ma­de by the mayor about the OSR land is fabricated,” said DMK floor lea­der S.C. Bose. “While there are plenty of civic issues to be addr­essed by the city corporation, the ma­yor is diverting the council by playing politics,” he added.

 

'Mosquito nets only intervention measure'

Saturday, 28 December 2013 06:57 administrator
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The New Indian Express               28.12.2013

'Mosquito nets only intervention measure'

The issue of mosquito menace hogged the attention of the City Council at the Corporation Council Meeting, which was held on Friday. Answering questions raised by a councillor on the importance being given to the free mosquito net scheme over general mitigation measures, Chennai Mayor Saidai Duraisamy said that the distribution of mosquito nets to the general public was only an emergency intervention measure and had been implemented according to the needs. This will act as an ancillary measure to the already prevalent measures for  mosquito control, he said.

The Corporation during the council meeting passed a resolution to provide an additional five lakh mosquito nets in the city. Questioning the measure, councillors said that many had been denied the nets since they didn’t have ration cards. The Mayor explained that through the resolution, apart from the general public, the nets will also be given to students residing in hostels, patients at government hospitals and those residing in slums and on river banks.

He added, “The Corporation has already generated a list of underprivileged  people, who do not possess a ration card. The nets will be given to them using this list for verification.”

Over the course of the year, the Corporation has taken several measures against the mosquito menace. The Mayor also said that apart from the distribution of mosquito nets, the Corporation had actively implemented several other measures such as planting of five lakh nochi saplings on Open Space Reservation (OSR) lands and parks and taken stern action against illegal sewer lines connected to the storm water drain lines by several commercial establishments. But the stumbling block is the fact that the sewage lines and underground drainage come under the ambit of the CMWSSB, while the storm water drains are maintained by the Corporation.

The nochi plant scheme was announced in June this year, but is yet to gain impetus when it came to implementation.

However, the Mayor asserted that in the course of next year, the measures for mitigation of the mosquito menace will be heavily stepped up and the problems will be resolved at the earliest.

 

Civic body to take action against fertilizer plant

Saturday, 28 December 2013 04:32 administrator
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The Hindu                 28.12.2013

Civic body to take action against fertilizer plant

Aloysius Xavier Lopez

To follow TNPCB report on air pollution caused in Ennore

Chennai Corporation will initiate legal action against a fertilizer plant in Ennore for polluting the neighbourhood.

Responding to a question by councillor A. Ezhilarasi of ward 1 during the Corporation council meeting, Mayor Saidai Duraisamy said, “The zonal assistant health officer has sent a letter to the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board on August 26. We have also sent a reminder. Legal action against the fertilizer plant will be based on the report submitted by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board.”

Ms. Ezhilarasi pointed to the rising number of residents affected by asthma due to air pollution caused by the plant. “Many residents have reported diseases pertaining to bone and teeth. The Corporation should take action to preventhealth problems,” she said.

Meanwhile, work on preparation of a land plan schedule for widening of roads such as Kaliamman Koil Street, has started. “After the Chennai collectorate completes the work, the council will ask Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority to utilise TDR (transfer of development rights) provisions to acquire private land for the widening,” said Mayor Saidai Duraisamy.

Last year, the council passed a resolution on use of TDR for widening roads including Kaliamman Koil Street, Nelson Manickam Road, Paper Mills Road and Sembium Red Hills Road. The Corporation council will ask the CMDA to issue development rights certificates (DRCs) to affected land owners. DRCs entitle the owners to add floor space in lieu of the area surrendered.

Work on widening Kaliamman Koil Street, a crucial link between Arcot Road and Jawaharlal Nehru Salai, is expected to ease congestion in Koyambedu. The civic body has decided to acquire 37,600 sq. m. of private land located on either side of the 3.1 km road.

 
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