The Times of India 29.01.2010
Singapore officials to monitor Cooum restoration project
CHENNAI: The Chennai Rivers Restoration Trust (CRRT), constituted under the chairmanship of deputy chief minister M K Stalin, will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Singapore Cooperation Enterprise (SEC) in February for the much-awaited Cooum restoration work.
The SEC was formed in 2006 to share Singapore's public sector expertise with foreign ministries and agencies interested in enhancing or adapting their system based on Singapore's model.
The Singapore agency would act as a consultant and be involved in preparation and evaluation of a comprehensive conceptual master plan for the restoration of Cooum, besides providing technical assistance and monitoring the execution of the project, officials said.
The master plan would cover issues such as identification and development of appropriate engineering solution to the problem of formation of sandbar at the river mouth.
Representatives of SEC are likely to visit Chennai in February when the MoU will be inked. The agency would also provide training to officials concerned, they added.
Meanwhile, a high-level committee of the newly-formed CRRT, which met under the leadership of Stalin for the first time on Thursday, discussed action plans for restoration of rivers and water bodies in Chennai and ways to coordinate the functioning of various stakeholders including the Chennai Corporation, Metro water, pollution control board, slum clearance board and departments of environment, forest and public works. It also discussed the terms of reference and the scope of service of the SEC under the MoU.
For the first time, the meeting on Cooum restoration was attended by environment minister T P M Moideen Khan and slum clearance minister Suba Thangavelan, besides chief secretary K S Sripathy and secretaries of various departments.
Though the government initially announced formation of Chennai River Authority with statutory and financial powers to clean up Cooum, it subsequently constituted CRRT as formation of an authority was a long process involving framing of rules and enactment of a legislation in the state Assembly.
The SEC was formed in 2006 to share Singapore's public sector expertise with foreign ministries and agencies interested in enhancing or adapting their system based on Singapore's model.
The Singapore agency would act as a consultant and be involved in preparation and evaluation of a comprehensive conceptual master plan for the restoration of Cooum, besides providing technical assistance and monitoring the execution of the project, officials said.
The master plan would cover issues such as identification and development of appropriate engineering solution to the problem of formation of sandbar at the river mouth.
Representatives of SEC are likely to visit Chennai in February when the MoU will be inked. The agency would also provide training to officials concerned, they added.
Meanwhile, a high-level committee of the newly-formed CRRT, which met under the leadership of Stalin for the first time on Thursday, discussed action plans for restoration of rivers and water bodies in Chennai and ways to coordinate the functioning of various stakeholders including the Chennai Corporation, Metro water, pollution control board, slum clearance board and departments of environment, forest and public works. It also discussed the terms of reference and the scope of service of the SEC under the MoU.
For the first time, the meeting on Cooum restoration was attended by environment minister T P M Moideen Khan and slum clearance minister Suba Thangavelan, besides chief secretary K S Sripathy and secretaries of various departments.
Though the government initially announced formation of Chennai River Authority with statutory and financial powers to clean up Cooum, it subsequently constituted CRRT as formation of an authority was a long process involving framing of rules and enactment of a legislation in the state Assembly.
