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Two advocates for Nagercoil municipality

Sunday, 27 September 2009 00:24 administrator
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The Hindu 27.09.2009

Two advocates for Nagercoil municipality

Staff Reporter

Nagercoil: Two persons have been appointed as municipal advocates following an increase in the number of cases involving the municipality. The appointment, which was delayed for the last two months due to difference of opinion among the councillors, came to an end after N. Rajadurai and N. Chidambaram Pillai were appointed at a council meeting here on Friday.

Presiding over the meeting, Chairman Asokan Solomon said that it had been resolved to bring in tax revision for unoccupied properties from October 1 as per a Government order. As many as 289 resolutions were taken up for discussion during the meeting. Tax rate for vacant land has been fixed based on market value. For vacant land located in residential areas, the revised property tax would be 20 to 40 paise per square feet, while 30 to 50 paise would be levied for lands lying near arterial thoroughfares but without bus facilities. The tax for vacant land near arterial roads with bus facilities would be 40 to 60 paise.

Despite councillors belonging to AIADMK, MDMK and BJP objected to the tax revision, the chairman pointed out that it was an Government Order and expressed inability to reduce the tax.

Councillor Udayakumar showed adulterated water being distributed to residents of his ward following construction works being carried out without getting proper permission from the municipality resulting in impurities getting mixed with potable water.

He also demanded the municipality to remove unauthorised advertisement hoardings near bus shelters in the town. AIADMK councillor Seenu pointed out that the pedestrian subway constructed at a cost of Rs. 65 lakh connecting CPR Park and Anna bus stand to decongest traffic had become weak and posed a threat to the passengers after a few days of inauguration. When questioned about the quality of the work, the contractor had used reproachful comments on few councillors.

The councillors demanded the Chairman to take action against the contractor and make another assessment of the quality of subway.

The Chairman said that those councillors who were dissatisfied with the work must lodge complaints personally instead of raising it in the council meeting.

Last Updated on Sunday, 27 September 2009 00:26
 

Govt agencies told get ready to tackle monsoon floods

Saturday, 26 September 2009 06:19 administrator
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The Times of India 26.09.2009

Govt agencies told get ready to tackle monsoon floods

TNN 26 September 2009, 03:39am IST
CHENNAI: With the northeast monsoon only weeks away, the city corporation on Friday convened a high-level meeting with representatives from all government agencies to take stock of preparedness and to chalk out strategies to tackle floods. The corporation has evolved a disaster management plan with contact persons and numbers of nodal officers of all departments.

"Coordination among officials plays a vital role. We should not lose time in reaching out to the needy. The lessons we learnt in previous monsoons should come in handy," corporation commissioner Rajesh Lakhoni said.

Lakhoni urged all service agencies, especially Metrowater and the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board to refrain from digging roads from October 1. The PWD has been asked to remove sandbars at the mouth of the Cooum and Adyar rivers to ensure smooth flow of floodwater into the sea. The agency has to desilt canals and remove encroachments.

The Met department has been asked to issue weather bulletins 24 or 48 hours in advance. The police department will install wireless sets at all important spots and in officers' rooms.TNEB has been asked to conduct regular patrolling of affected areas and to cut off power supply, if required.

Metrowater has been asked to ensure continuous working of sewerage pumping stations during floods, with heavy-duty motor pump sets. It has also been told to replace missing manhole covers and to put up pictorial signboards at dangerous or open spots.

The telephones department has been asked to ensure that all important helplines are free from any disruption during rain. The agricultural engineering department is to provide at least ten heavy duty pump sets to the corporation in an emergency; fire and rescue services will keep inflatable boats to rescue people in low-lying areas.

The fisheries department has been asked to provide adequate number of boats and catamarans. The highways department will have to provide links to storm water drains on Jawaharlal Nehru Road near Vadapalani and the SAF games village.

MTC, Aavin, the army, civil supplies, MRTS/railways, airlines, Red Cross and Blue Cross have also been asked to render support.
 

No road digging for next 3 months

Saturday, 26 September 2009 01:25 administrator
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Deccan Chronicle 26.09.2009

No road digging for next 3 months

September 26th, 2009
By Our Correspondent

Chennai

Sept. 25: In a bid to prevent flooding in Chennai during the ensuing northeast monsoon, the city corporation on Friday convened a high level meeting comprising officials from 33 government departments at the Ripon Buildings to assess the monsoon preparatory works and natural disaster management.

According to a corporation official, the objective of the meeting was to form a coordination committee among the city corporation and other government officials to execute the monsoon plan. Issues like storm water drains, road repair, desilting of canals, clearing of encroachments and rescue and relief operations during floods were discussed.

Mayor M. Subramanian, who chaired the meeting requested fisheries and agriculture departments to provide boats and high power motors pumps in case of inundation. He also announced that the civic body had decided not to encourage any road cuts for the next three months. From October 1, neither the government nor private agencies would be allowed to dig roads.

Corporation commissioner Rajesh Lakhoni enquired about the monsoon arrangements made by the Public Works Department, Chennai Metro water and Slum Clearance Board. In fact, corporation councillors and zonal chairmen cornered the representatives from these departments, when they failed to provide proper details in connection with the monsoon preparatory works.

Mr Subramanian concluded the meeting requesting the departments to work together to prevent floods.

Last Updated on Saturday, 26 September 2009 01:47
 
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