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PWD hands over custody of tanks to Coimbatore Corporation

Friday, 29 January 2010 02:04 administrator
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The Hindu 29.01.2010

PWD hands over custody of tanks to Coimbatore Corporation

Special Correspondent

— Photo: M. Periasamy.

FOR REJUVENATION: Public Works Department Executive Engineer A. Venkatachalam (second left) hands over documents relating to eight tanks to Coimbatore Corporation Executive Engineer A. Lakshmanan (right) on Thursday.

COIMBATORE: After a long struggle, the Coimbatore Corporation got on Thursday the physical custody of eight tanks. This was in the form of Executive Engineer of Public Works Department (Water Resources Organisation), Bhavanisagar Dam Division, A. Venkatachalam handing over documents relating to the tanks to Executive Engineer of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) wing in the Corporation A. Lakshmanan.

Mayor R. Venkatachalam, Corporation Commissioner Anshul Mishra, Deputy Mayor N. Karthik, councillors and officials of the Corporation and Public Works Department (PWD) were present. The tanks are: Big Tank (Ukkadam), Valankulam, Singanallur Tank, Muthanankulam, Selvachinthamani Tank, Selvampathy Tank, Narasampathy Tank and Krishnampathy Tank.

Now, the Corporation would maintain the tanks for 90 years by paying a lease rent of Rs.100 a year. “We are taking over the tanks in order to raise the ground water level in the city,” the Mayor said.

The Corporation had been trying to get the custody of the tanks in order to rejuvenate them at Rs.127 crore under the mission. The civic body’s Council passed a resolution on December 24, 2008, appealing for the custody of the tanks. The Corporation wanted to de-silt the tanks, strengthen the bunds, beautify the surroundings and turn them into even recreation centres.

Action for Food Production, a Bangalore-based consultant, carried out a survey of the tanks and submitted a detailed project report to the Corporation for the rejuvenation. “The project report will be sent to the State Government for scrutiny and clearance and then to be forwarded to the Central Government for its approval,” Mr. Mishra said.

A press release issued by the JNNURM wing in the Corporation said that one of the objectives was to generate revenue from the parks or other recreational centres near the tanks in order to meet the civic body’s 30 per cent share in funding the project.

“Now that the tanks are in our custody, we will work out measures to prevent the discharge of drainage or the dumping of garbage and debris into the water bodies,” the Commissioner said. “It is the responsibility of the local body to maintain the tanks and keep these free of pollution so that the ground water is not affected,” he said.

“Apart from maintaining these as key water resources, the tanks and their surroundings will also be turned into recreation centres. This will help in beautifying the city,” he said.

The Mayor said walkers’ tracks would also be laid so that the periphery of the tanks could be used as fitness zones.

Last Updated on Friday, 29 January 2010 02:06
 

Court orders notice to Corporation

Thursday, 28 January 2010 04:38 administrator
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The Hindu 28.01.2010

Court orders notice to Corporation

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has ordered notice to the Chennai Corporation on a writ petition by a councillor who sought a direction to the authorities to take action against officers of the civic body for non-implementation of works for which sums were allotted to provide proper sanitation and other miscellaneous works in his ward, No.53.

In his petition, K. Amstrong of Perambur said he was also the State organiser of the Bahujan Samaj Party. Officials of the Chennai Corporation did not cooperate with him to do the works in his ward. He took up the matter at the councillors meeting, but it was not considered by the Corporation Commissioner “because of political enmity and social bias.”

He said that ultimately people’s welfare would suffer. He had a right and liability to fulfil the works.

The civic body had reluctantly done something. He sent a representation in November last year to the Chief Minister and others, but there was no reply. Hence, the present petition.

He prayed the court to direct the Chennai Corporation to do the sanitation work in ward no.53 for which Rs.25 lakh had been allocated for 2009-10, pending disposal of the petition.

Last Updated on Thursday, 28 January 2010 04:41
 

Civic body sets up veterinary centre in city

Friday, 22 January 2010 10:02 administrator
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The New Indian Express 22.01.2010

Civic body sets up veterinary centre in city

Express News Service

 

CHENNAI: Chennai Corporation on Thursday became the first Municipal Corporation in the country to set up two Veterinary Public Health Centres exclusively for treating pet animals.

The centres, functioning at Nungambakkam in South Chennai and Thiru Vi Ka Nagar in the north, will also offer services like immunisation, licensing dogs, rehabilitation and monitoring the quality of meat and milk, free of cost.

Inaugurating the centre at Lake Area in Nungambakkam, Mayor M Subramanian said the long-pending demand from the public for establishing a veterinary health centre for pet animals has been met. About half-anacre has been earmarked for burying pet animals at Moolakothalam and Mylapore crematoriums, in an effort to avoid dead animals being thrown in waterways or left in garbage bins. “This also is a first-of-its-kind initiative by any Municipal Corporation in India,” he noted.

On the measures taken by the Corporation authorities to control dog population in the city, the Mayor said more than 70,000 stray dogs were subjected to surgery under Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme since 2006 with the help from five NGOs, including SPCA and Blue Cross. In contrast, only 7,000 to 8,000 stray dogs underwent the surgery from 2001 and 2006. “If the response is encouraging, more such veterinary centres will be opened in others of parts of the city,” Subramanian stated.

Earlier, addressing the gathering, Corporation Commissioner Rajesh Lakhoni said that no rabies deaths were reported in Chennai in the last three years. Other pet animals like cats, rabbits, ducks, hens, love birds, parrots and pigeons are also treated at the veterinary centres, which would have two veterinary doctors and assistants.

Treatment for skin disorders, respiratory infections, reproductive and urinary problems are available.

Address of Veterinary PHCs (Pet Animals) in Chennai: School Road, Lake Area, (near Independence Day Park), Nungambakkam, Chennai - 600 034; Pallavan Salai, Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, Chennai - 600 011.

Last Updated on Friday, 22 January 2010 10:12
 
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