Vellore is likely to have a public swimming pool by next summer, according to Corporation commissioner P Janaki Raveendran.

At a council meeting on Thursday, chaired by mayor P Karthiyayini, commissioner P Janaki Raveendran said officials of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) are taking steps to identify a site for the construction of a swimming pool. She hoped the swimming pool would be ready by next summer.

Failure to monitor the rainwater harvesting system in the buildings was also discussed at the meeting, when councillor of ward 38, S Raja, brought to light that more than ten houses that were being constructed in Velapadi area did not provide space nor implement rainwater harvesting system. On this, town planning officer M Kannan said the owners of the buildings get the approval from the local body after showing the rainwater harvesting system in the layout, but fail to construct it. He said officials could check the issue only after the houses were fully constructed and assured that the matter would be looked into.

Following this, councillor of ward 44, G Shanmugham demanded that officials conduct raids in his area to halt illegal water tapping at houses in Palla Idayampattu in Virupatchipuram. As many as 111 resolutions were passed at the meeting and another 52 at an urgent meeting that was convened shortly after.

Deputy mayor V D Dharmalingam and engineer E Devakumar were among those who attended at the meeting.

Women attached to a Self-Help Group cooked food on a trial basis at two centres identified for ‘Amma Unavagam’, on Thursday.

As many as 120 women belonging to 10 self-help groups would be involved at the 10 low budget canteens across the city. Mayor P Karthiyayini said the women had prior experience in running canteens and hotels on a small scale. They were taken to ‘Amma Unavagam’ canteens in Chennai and given training on how to behave with customers and serve the public.

The women were also trained in cooking in large quantities in Vellore last week, she said and added that the government had already specified the quantity of ingredients that needed to be used for preparing food for 300 to 500 persons.

On Thursday, officials attached to the Corporation visited the two canteens at Neduntheru in Kasba and Gandhi Nagar in Katpadi, where sambar and curd rice were cooked. The cost estimation for preparing food by 10 canteens for a year was arrived at Rs 2.70 crore and the revenue was estimated at  Rs 1.31 crore. The deficit amount of Rs 1.39 crore would be met from the General Fund of the Vellore Corporation. A resolution in this connection was passed at the Corporation council meeting held on Thursday. Vessels for the canteens were also purchased at a cost of Rs 14.40 lakh. Karthiyayini said the dates for the inauguration of the canteens would be announced soon.