The Hindu 18.03.2010
Mosquito menace figures at council meet
Staff Reporter
| The fund for mosquito control has increased, says Mayor |
Councillors want more measures to combat mosquito menace.
CHENNAI: The mosquito menace and the need to intensify measures to combat it figured prominently in the discussion on the 2010-11 budget of the Chennai Corporation on Wednesday.
Though the Corporation has initiated several measures to curb mosquito breeding, the problem still persists, according to many councillors. They demanded that the fogging operations be enhanced as there are complaints from residents of some localities that the vehicle on which the machine is mounted rushes through their areas.
On the schemes announced in the budget, several councillors said that they must be completed as scheduled. The work on the vehicular subway in Villivakkam and a road overbridge at Perambur Loco Works should be completed soon, a few councillors emphasised.
Opposition floor leader of the council Saidai Ravi said free uniforms and stationery must be given to the Corporation school students during the beginning of the academic year. Private organisations must be involved in spraying larvicide in canals. Property tax must be levied on private schools. He also sought clarifications on the status of the multi-level parking projects announced last fiscal.
Ward 134 councillor T.Sathyamurthy said steps should be taken to help more students from the weaker sections to receive education in the ‘schools of excellence' proposed by the civic body. Cold milling technology should be also used for relaying interior roads, he said.
According to Ward 78 councillor D.Lazar, the civic body should levy tax on the advertisement boards hung on lamp-posts and on private cab operators who park the vehicles on the road. Ward 32 councillor R. Subramani suggested that raincoats be given to the school students and sanitary workers.
Some of the primary health centres were closed for want of more doctors and equipment, said Ward 59 councillor Devaki. The councillors also wanted bridges at Anna Nagar and Kellys and foot overbridge with lift on the Ranganathan Street and Usman Road junction. The need for more public toilets in the Marina beach was also highlighted at the meeting.
Mayor M.Subramanian said that more funds had been allocated for several departments. The fund for mosquito control has been increased from Rs.21.27 crore to Rs.24.05 crore. Similarly, the allocation for health department is Rs.43.60 crore as compared to Rs.36.97 crore in the last budget.
On multi-level parking projects, he said work order for one such facility in Wallace Garden had been issued and fresh bids invited for another in Broadway.
