The Hindu 30.04.2010

76 resolutions adopted

Staff Reporter

CHENNAI: The Chennai Corporation Council, which met on Thursday, adopted a total of 76 resolutions including those seeking approval for bids for construction of stormwater drains under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), restructuring trade licence fee for commercial establishments, imposing licence fee for pet dogs and modernisation of eight burial grounds, .

Mayor M. Subramanian said that bids for projects under the JNNURM for Mambalam-Nandanam canals catchment area for Rs.100.60 crore, central Buckingham Canal catchment area for Rs.38.15 crore and South Buckingham Canal catchment area for Rs.34.43 crore had been settled.

Around 40,000 small establishments including fancy shops, provision stores, tea stalls, small eating houses, saloons and confectionary stalls would.

From April 1, 2009, shops were classified into two – those having area up to 1,000 sq ft had one rate and those above that. But after trade representatives met Mayor M.Subramanian, the restructuring was taken up.

Shops having area of up to 500 sq ft would have to pay Rs.500, those from 501 sq ft to 1,000 sq ft would have to pay Rs.750 and those having above 1,001 sq ft Rs.3,000. Officials said the move would help bring in additional revenue.

A resolution to modernise and landscape 10 burial grounds including those at Kasimedu, Otteri, Vyasarpadi, GKM Colony, Krishnampet, Kannamapet, Besant Nagar and Moolakothalam, was also adopted.

Pet dog owners in the city would now have to shell out Rs.50 as annual licence fee for each dog. It is estimated that around 75,000 dogs were being brought up as pets. Before collecting the fee, the dogs would be immunised free of cost by the Corporation.

The rent for Sir Pitti Theagaraya Hall in T.Nagar has been fixed at Rs.8,000 for six hours.

The Hindu 29.04.2010

Concern over action initiated against unapproved structures

Special Correspondent

— Photo:M. Sathyamoorthy

Voicing views: Council members expressing their concern at a meeting of the Udhagamandalam Municipal Council held on Wednesday.

Udhagamandalam: A meeting of the Udhagamandalam Municipal Council (UMC) scheduled to be held on Wednesday was adjourned to Thursday following serious concern expressed by the members over the ongoing disconnection of power and water connections to buildings which have come up without the approval of the municipality.

The action by the civic administration with the help of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board and the police was in keeping with a recent order of the Madras High Court.

The members also resolved to go to Chennai along with the affected people and make a representation to the Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi.

Inconvenience

As soon as the meeting commenced, with the Chairman UMC R. Rajendran presiding, many of the members voiced concern over the inconvenience which the disconnection had subjected the occupants of the buildings to.

Vice-Chairman J. Ravikumar (DMK) said that the opposition to the action should not be misconstrued as showing disrespect to the court order but before setting in motion the process of disconnecting water and power supply the officials should have informed the councillors.

Vincent (Congress) said that the action has put the councillors in a spot. Ravikumar, Nagaraj (Congress) and a few others said that if solution cannot be found to the people's problem the Chairman should consider dissolving the Council.

When Imtiaz (AIADMK) adverted to the blame being put on the Chairman by some of the members for the current predicament of the building owners, Mr. Rajendran countered it by saying that the Master Plan had been introduced during the AIADMK regime.

However others intervened said that the issue should not be politicized.

K.A. Mustaffa (DMK) said that only political parties can find a solution to the problem.

He wondered why action was not being taken against commercial buildings.

R.Ilango (DMK) said that action should be taken against the officials who were responsible for the present state of affairs.

Mr. Rajendran said that the owners of commercial buildings have filed review petitions.

He added that efforts were being made to get the government to agree to a one time regularization of the unauthorized structures.

Later when some of the owners of the unapproved structures met the Municipal Commissioner L.S. Girija she categorically stated that the municipality will go by the rules.