Urban News

The Hindu       30.12.2010

Staff shortage impacts JNNURM projects

Karthik Madhavan

COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore Corporation recently handed over to the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board the construction of 9,600 tenements meant for urban poor.

The reason the civic body cited was that it was, with the staff at hand, finding it difficult to implement the following schemes: Pilloor Phase II (drinking water), solid waste management, under ground drainage and storm water drainage.

Schemes

All the aforementioned schemes come under the Central Government-funded Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).

Construction project

Given the circumstances, the Corporation said “it is not in a position to efficiently execute” the construction project.

A look at the sanctioned posts suggests that more than 50 per cent are vacant.

Sources concerned with the implementation of the JNNURM projects said the State Government sanctioned the 52 posts in 2006-07 only to implement the Pilloor Phase II drinking water, solid waste management and two phases of tenement construction projects under the ‘Basic Services for Urban Poor' head. Now the team, looking after the progress of the JNNURM projects, had been burdened with the underground drainage and storm water drain projects without additional staff.

And this had impacted the progress of the work.

Pilloor drinking water

The sources pointed out that the Pilloor drinking water scheme would be completed only in March 2011 as against the original schedule of September 2010 and the solid waste management in January 2011 as against the original deadline of October 2010.

Tenements

The two tenements construction projects are 25 per cent behind schedule.

They also said that if the team had to effectively implement the old and the new projects it would require around 75 people, particularly technical assistants who work on the field.

No shortage

A Corporation official, however, contested the JNNURM team's claim. There was no shortage if one were to go by the actual requirement.

All the required staff were there, more so after the Corporation had over the construction of 9,600 flats to the Slum Clearance Board.

Top posts

Stating that the sanctioned strength did not reflect the reality, the officer said only one or two top posts were vacant, to fill which the Corporation had written to the State Government.

The official also said that engineers in other departments were also being deputed to oversee the JNNURM projects.

The Hindu        29.12.2010

Adyar Poonga gets finishing touches

— Photo: S.S. Kumar

Gearing up:Work on phase-I of Adyar Poonga, set for inauguration on January 3, is in full swing.

CHENNAI: Amid the small patches of grass-covered mounds and lawn, the name Adyar Poonga, carved in a series of seven stones, welcomes visitors. The seemingly open area gives no indication of the sprawling park tucked behind it.

Walkways from the entrance leading to other areas remain unpaved and a bunch of display boards are stacked against a tree. The works to mow the overgrown grass, prune trees and plants, and design the pathways now are in full swing to complete the phase I of Adyar Poonga, which is scheduled to be inaugurated on January 3 by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Works to complete the landscaping, bridges, children interactive learning space, and amphitheatre are in progress, according to officials.

“Most of the works are complete and we are giving finishing touches to some areas. It will be completed well before the inauguration,” said a senior officer associated with the project.

To document the increasing number of species being spotted in that area, a team of researchers and ecologists is constantly monitoring the restoration process of the Poonga.

The water quality is being periodically assessed by Anna University, sand quality by Stella Maris College and Pitchandikulam Forest Consultants, Auroville, are surveying the number and variety of vertebrates in the park, he added.

Joss Brooks, Chief Architect of Pitchandikulam Forest Consultants, which is the consultant for the project, says the major challenge is to channel the sewage that got into the Poonga. “This is an eco-sensitive area, which can be affected by even the slightest change in the environment. The cooperation from the government was quite encouraging and we managed to tackle the problem,” he said.

Describing it as a classic example of transformation of a waste land into a diverse forest area, Mr. Brooks said Chennai was built on many such wet lands, which are fast getting filled up with concrete structures. The wet lands, he said, should be made into recreational areas, which would increase the lung space of the city. To make sure the natural inhabitants of the land are not disturbed, no exotic plants have been introduced in the park.

Observing that they would maintain the park for two years as part of the contract, he said the park would require minimum maintenance as the idea was not to beautify the place but to enrich the bio-diversity. “We have also proposed to set up a training institute in the park, which would train people on restoration ecology. It is a step to create a broader awareness about the need to maintain such eco-sensitive places.”

Foundation would be laid for the phase-II of the project, which would extend up to Santhome Causeway, at the inauguration of the phase-I.