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Workers on contract for quick response to civic issues

Wednesday, 13 February 2013 08:48 administrator
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The Hindu           13.02.2013

Workers on contract for quick response to civic issues

Staff Reporter

The Chennai Corporation officials will soon be permitted to engage workers on contract to react faster to civic challenges. The civic body this week will put in place a rate contract system to hire conservancy workers, road tholilalis and malaria workers if there is a pressing need to address a civic problem.

The zonal officials need not seek permission from the Commissioner for hiring such employees after administrative sanction is given for the rate contract. The rate for the labour contract will be fixed in such a way that the workers get paid better. A senior official of the Corporation said this would provide a solution to the issues of absenteeism and vacancies.

For example, the zonal officials will have an option of hiring some road tholilalis in the morning so that the work can be completed on the same day if a road gets damaged due to rains the previous night. Similarly, mosquito control operations can be carried out in a locality by hiring workers on contract, minutes after receiving complaints in the morning. Roads can also be swept clean by conservancy workers on contract if a garbage issue is highlighted in a newspaper in the morning.

However, there is a ceiling on the number of labourers on contract in each of the 200 wards of the Corporation. The official cannot hire more labourers than the number permitted as per norms. The civic body has collected data on the number of vacancies in posts such as conservancy workers, road tholilalis and malaria workers. The requirement of such labourers for each of the wards in the 426 sq km of the city will soon be analysed. Decision on the number of workers permitted for each ward will be taken shortly.

Last Updated on Thursday, 14 February 2013 10:27
 

Streetlighting to be set by timer, weather

Tuesday, 04 September 2012 05:48 administrator
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The Times of India      04.09.2012

Streetlighting to be set by timer, weather

CHENNAI: In an effort to save electricity, the Corporation of Chennai will install 1,200 timers for streetlights in the old

Sources in the corporation said two typesof timer switches were being considered. The first kind will help switch on and switch off the lights according to the time set in the in-built clock, while the other helps lights switch on and off as per the weather conditions. The new devices are expected to prevent lights from burning during the day or lying idle after darkness falls, officials said.

Nearly 2,000 switches now used to operate streetlights would be replaced with the new timer switches that are expected to reduce the power consumption by as much as 20%,they added.The2.21lakh streetlights maintained by the corporation in 200 wards consume around 19 MW per month, resulting in a Rs 2-crore electricity bill.

The civic body had been receiving severe criticism because in many areas lights came on before dark and in others they were not switched until long after dark. A senior corporation official said : "It will also avoid the existing system of manually switching on or switching off the street lights.Thetimerswillbefixed in automated junction boxes. Normally, the switching on and switching off of streetlights takes nearly twohours."

"Contract workers tasked with the job are unable to switch off street lights on time because of the heavy traffic. Unless they start the process atleast two hours before dusk, they are unable to complete the job on time as they have to cover thousands of electric poles," said another official.

Officials said the new system was also expected to improve the efficiency of streetlights. "The 'smart streetlight monitoring system' will help track non-burning street lights," said an official.

The idea of introducing timers in streetlights has come in for praise from residents.V S Suresh, a consumer activist in Kolathur, said : "The decision is welcome but effective monitoring is also important. Proper lighting can also help reduce the crime rate."

Separately, the city corporation will replace all tube lights in the corporation's extended areas with energy-saving solar and Light Emitting Diode(LED)lamps.Itwill also install 25,000 solar lights in the expanded areas. Around 50 crore has been allotted for the improvement of streetlights in the extended areas under the Chennai Mega City Development Mission.
Last Updated on Tuesday, 04 September 2012 05:51
 

Municipal office building awaits inauguration

Monday, 03 September 2012 04:22 administrator
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The Hindu    03.09.2012

Municipal office building awaits inauguration

Special Correspondent

Construction work completed three months ago

Delay in the inauguration of the municipal office building, constructed at an estimate of Rs.85 lakh here has been causing inconvenience to the public and the elected representatives in attending the council meeting.

Works on construction of municipal office, along with electrical wiring and other interior civil works were completed about three months ago but it is yet to be inaugurated.

The foundation for the building was laid in 2008 with the municipality contributing Rs.35 lakh as its share for the estimate. The old building, though small, had a large vacant space all around it and the availability of this site facilitated the government to go in for a new building. The municipality was shifted to a temporary building and the old building was demolished.

The authorities, based on the difficulties faced by the councillors and officials at the old building, designed the blueprint for the new building ensuring spacious plinth area for the council hall, commissioner’s chamber and municipal office. The old building did not have a full fledged council hall and the monthly meetings were held in a small room on the first floor.

“The work has been completed and the building just awaits inauguration. The plinth area of the office is 5,638 square feet, council hall 3,723 square feet, and training hall 1,600 square feet,” say official sources. As frequent training programmes are being organised by the municipality under various schemes, the new building includes an exclusive hall.

The delay in inaugurating the facility forms part of the discussion at municipal council meetings. Even on Saturday, a few DMK councillors led by Ramesh expressed dismay.

Last Updated on Monday, 03 September 2012 04:25
 
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