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.
