The Hindu 09.12.2009

Drainage channel being cleaned

Special Correspondent

— Photo: M.Moorthy

Clean work: Sanitary workers of Tiruchi Corporation engaged in clearing the block in a main drainage channel at Gandhi Market on Tuesday.

TIRUCHI: The Tiruchi Corporation took special steps on Tuesday and started massive cleaning of the stormwater drainage in the Gandhi market by removing the silt that completely blocked flow of water for the past few years.

More than 80 sanitary workers were pressed into service and earth moving equipment were used to remove the silt and the entire cleaning work would be carried out continuously for four days.

The work was supervised by Corporation city engineer S. Raja Mohamed, City Health Officer K. C. Cheran, Executive Engineer S. Arunachalam and other officials.

Mayor S. Sujatha convened a meeting of officials including Corporation Commissioner T. T. Balsamy two days ago for taking immediate steps to clean the drainage which had caused hardship to the people during rain and posed a health hazard.

Official sources said that the shopkeepers near the drainage channels had vacated their shops on their own and facilitated cleaning of the channels.

Silt was removed for about 200-ft stretch on the first day on Tuesday.

They pointed out that all vegetable and other waste materials in the market were being removed twice a day by the sanitary workers.

The Hindu 09.12.2009

Corporation cracks down on smoking in public places

Special Correspondent

— Photo: M. Periasamy.

INTENSIVE DRIVE: A Coimbatore Corporation health wing staff member tells the public to desist from smoking in public places during a drive at the town bus stand at Gandhipuram on Tuesday.

COIMBATORE: With the objective of turning Coimbatore into a ‘no-smoking’ city by January 2010, the Coimbatore Corporation has begun an intensive crackdown on smoking in public places.

Those caught smoking in public places such as bus stands and cinemas will have to cough up Rs. 200 in fine, or they will be handed over to the police.

The Corporation is putting up a number of signage across the city to warn people of the ill-effects of smoking, both active and second-hand (passive). The civic body is also warning people of stringent action that is provided for by the Control of Tobacco Products Act, 2004 and the Prohibition of Smoking in Public Places Rules, 2008.

Led by Assistant City Health Officer R. Sumathi, Rapid Response Teams of the Corporation’s City Health Department are swooping on smokers in bus stands, railway stations, cinemas and other areas listed as public places under the Act.

As per the Act, the public places include workplaces, shopping malls, airports, bus stands, railway stations, hotels, cinemas, shops and restaurants.

Corporation Commissioner Anshul Mishra has allotted vehicles for the teams to move about quickly in the city to carry out the drive effectively. According to Dr. Sumathi, the aim is to achieve 100 per cent success in the drive by January 2010. About 10 health officers of local bodies in other parts of the State are here to study the ongoing drive.

On spotting people smoking in public places, the health teams are imposing Rs. 200 fine on them and explaining to them the ill-effects of smoking and also how the smoke from the cigarette and the one exhaled by smokers affect the non-smokers nearby.

On Monday and Tuesday, the teams carried out surprise checks in cinemas. “Intervals are the time when people step out for smoking. Though rules forbid this in cinemas, smoking is still allowed.” Dr. Sumathi says.

Though one of the theatres had put up “no smoking” boards, those who came to view films smoked cigarettes during interval. The manager of the cinema at Ramnagar was pulled up by the health officials. “The Act says clearly that Rs. 200 per smoker can be collected as fine from the management of any public place that allows people to smoke,” Dr. Sumathi says.

“We are telling owners of shops, hotels and tea stalls that they will have to pay hefty fines if they allow anyone to smoke on their premises. Stickers that carry a warning against smoking and conveying the message of the drive are being pasted across the city,” she says.

On Tuesday, the drive began with a sensitisation-cum-crackdown exercise at the town bus stand at Gandhipuram.

“People who come out in the morning every day for a walk in many areas in the city, including the bus stand area, complain that smoking robs them of fresh air that they actually look for during exercise,” the health official says.

The health teams also found two students (of Class X and XI) of a Corporation school smoking along a road. The headmaster of the school was informed immediately and asked to speak to the parents of the boys.