COIMBATORE: The city municipal corporation has been suggested to give prominence to environmental conservation in its upcoming city development plan which is presently under preparation.

A preliminary meeting of the City Technical Advisory Group (CTAG) was convened here in the city during which the suggestion was mooted to the senior corporation officials. Some of the CTAG members also explored the possibilities of using construction debris for purposes like land-filling and as a substitute for sand in constructing non load bearing structures. This will reduce the piling up of construction waste and debris along the roadside, open areas and near water-bodies in its limits.

"It was an informal meeting in which the CTAG members were asked to point out their suggestions and remarks about the ongoing works of the civic body. Suggestions like reusing construction debris as a possible substitute for sand was one of the suggestions," said G Latha, commissioner, Coimbatore municipal corporation.

It was the first CTAG meeting convened at the main hall of the corporation office after the new city municipal corporation commissioner took over as the administrative chief of the civic body. The corporation has constituted the CTAG as an external body to assist it in implementing various developmental work by providing external input and observation about the progress of the ongoing work.

"Construction rubble except stone jelly could be crushed into powder and could be reused for construction work itself. It is being done in Mumbai and various other parts of the country," said R Elangaovan, executive engineer, quality control division, PWD who was also part of the meeting.

The city corporation is expected to expand the City Technical Advisory Group (CTAG) in the coming future ahead of releasing the new city development plan. Some of the major projects to be included in the new city development plan include mass transit system like monorail that has been already announced by the state government.