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Public Health / Sanitation

Corporation to step up flood, diseases prevention measures

Tuesday, 10 November 2009 01:47 administrator
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The Hindu 10.11.2009

Corporation to step up flood, diseases prevention measures

Special Correspondent

A 24-hour flood monitoring cell will function

— Photo: M.Periasamy.

TO AVERT PROBLEMS: Mayor R. Venkatachalam (left) and Coimbatore Corporation Commissioner Anshul Mishra (right) discussing flood and diseases prevention measures at a meeting with zone heads and officials on Monday.

COIMBATORE: The prevention of water stagnation by putting up rainwater harvesting structures and removing blocks in storm water drains and medical camps in all the four zones are some of the measures that the Coimbatore Corporation has planned to take up during the North-East Monsoon to prevent flooding and outbreak of diseases.

A 24-hour flood monitoring cell will function at the Corporation. It will respond to requests from the public and the councillors to seek de-flooding measures. The phone numbers of the cell are: (0422) 3234071 and 3234072.

These measures were decided at a meeting chaired by Mayor R. Venkatachalam on Monday to review the situation in the city in the wake of the heavy rain over the last three days. Corporation Commissioner Anshul Mishra, Deputy Mayor N. Karthik, the elected heads of zones and committees and health and engineering officials took part in the meeting.

The elected representatives complained of stagnation of rainwater at various places in the city and attributed the water-logging to blocks in storm water drains. Officials said silt removal works were being carried out at Rs.2 crore across the city.

A press release issued by the Mayor said the meeting decided to establish rainwater harvesting structures in areas prone to water stagnation.

More than 10 motors and adequate number of workers would be made available in all the zones to carry out de-flooding measures. The Corporation also decided to seek special funds to carry out relief measures.

Sources in the civic body said the elected representatives pointed out that many roads were damaged and that potholes should be closed immediately to avert accidents during rain.

Steps must also be taken to ensure that all street lights functioned.

The members expressed concern over water not reaching the eastern section of Valankulam, a major water body that re-charges the aquifers in the Sungam, Ukkadam, Race Course and Ramanathapuram areas.

They said that the condition of this portion of the tank had led to depletion of ground water table in wards 21 to 25 and also 12 and 13. Efforts would be taken along with the Public Works Department to ensure that the water reached the eastern section, the release said.

Four medical teams would be deployed in the zones to prevent diseases. Medical help would be rushed to any affected section.

Mosquito breeding control measures would also be taken up as part of the diseases prevention effort.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 10 November 2009 01:48
 

Road repairs on war-footing

Monday, 09 November 2009 09:41 administrator
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Deccan Chronicle 09.11.2009

Road repairs on war-footing

November 9th, 2009
By Our Correspondent

Chennai, Nov. 8: Chennai mayor M. Subramanian on Sunday launched a door-to-door campaign to prevent the outbreak of any epidemic in the city and distributed chlorine tablets and pamphlets to create awareness about waterborne diseases among the public at Royapettah.

Mr Subramanian, who inspected the cooking centre at Gopalapuram, said the corporation had distributed 2.15 lakh food packets to the public, prepared in 19 cooking centres.

A senior corporation official said as on Sunday evening, 3,437 people were screened in 24 medical camps in the city. He said in order to prevent mosquito breeding, fogging was done in the waterlogged areas. The corporation has undertaken on a war-footing road repair works in 160 damaged city roads.

In suburban Eranavur, a railway overbridge on the Ennore Expressway was partially damaged and vehicular movement suspended. Several parts of the western suburbs including Ambattur, Annanur, Thirumullaivoyil, Avadi and Pattabiram were inundated. The situation was worst near Ambattur lake. Poor urban planning and concreting of roads at Annanur resulted in flooding of Sivasakthi Nagar. There were also frequent power cuts. Areas such as Velachery, Perungudi and Kottivakkam remained inundated for the second consecutive day, affecting normal life.

The vendors at Koyambedu wholesale market said they incurred huge losses over the last three days due to the rain. The fruit market recorded a loss of Rs 2 crore for three days while the vegetable market posted Rs 30 lakh loss for the same period. However, prices of all fruits and vegetables have softened by Rs 2-4, compared to previous weeks.

 

Municipality cleans up its act

Friday, 06 November 2009 12:18 administrator
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The New Indian Express 06.11.2009

Municipality cleans up its act

V Gangadharan

CHENNAI: Alandur Municipality has desilted the 30-foot wide Veerangal canal, an arterial waterway in the municipality that carries surplus water from the Adambakkam lake, besides sewage from nearby neighbourhoods.

While the Alandur civic body has cleaned up the canal till Balaji Nagar where its jurisdiction ends, the Public Works Department has removed silt and deepened the canal throughout the 2 km stretch through Puzhuthivakkam up to the Velachery MRTS junction. The canal has been cleaned up on both sides of the Inner Ring Road that is under construction.

In the previous years, the flooding of Veerangal canal caused severe problems for several areas nearby, including Ram Nagar and its extension areas in Madipakkam, parts of Puzhuthivakkam and Velachery.

Flood waters entered homes and residents had to be evacuated using inflatable boats.

This year, however, the entire stretch of the canal has been desilted besides broadening and deepening of support channels.

Local bodies in other southern suburbs have also taken similar action.

Pallavaram Municipality chairman E Karunanidhi said measures to strengthen lake bunds were being undertaken in Nemillicheri and Old Pallavaram lakes. Road repair and relaying work is under progress in Keelkattalai.

The Medavakkam Main Road is being relaid. “We are taking steps to clean up and desilt all the drains.” Tambaram Municipality chairman E Mani said drains in Mudichur Road, GST Road, Selaiyur Odai and West Irumbuliyur Gayathri Nagar are being cleaned up besides the Pappan canal. “The clean up work has begun and steps are being taken to desilt and deepen all the canals in the municipal area.”

Last Updated on Friday, 06 November 2009 12:22
 
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