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Urban Encroachment

Mayor orders removal of all unauthorised hoardings

Sunday, 30 August 2009 00:20 administrator
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The Hindu 30.08.2009

Mayor orders removal of all unauthorised hoardings

Staff Reporter

Council approves several road, overbridge works

 

Councillors complain against apathy by officials

Council approves project to issue smart cards

KOCHI: Lack of support from the officials in removing unauthorised hoardings and advertisement boards in the city was once again the main topic of debate at the Corporation Council meeting on Saturday.

Cutting across political differences, councillors from both ruling and opposition fronts complained that the corporation suffered the loss of lakhs of rupees in income due to the improper issuing of contracts for setting up hoardings.

Officials also did not follow the accepted practice of publishing tender notices in leading dailies.

Following the discussions, Mayor Mercy Williams asked the Town Planning Officer to initiate steps to remove unauthorised hoardings in the city, including digital boards, immediately.

She also directed that the hoardings put up on PWD-owned roads be removed along with this.

Even after decisions are approved at the Council, officials fail to take follow-up action, she said.

The Council later decided to re-tender the contract for putting up hoardings and advertisement boards during 2009-10 and publish the tenders in national dailies.

It was also decided that the contract for setting up an incinerator of 100 kg capacity at the solid waste treatment plant at Brahmapuram would be given to Esco Furnaces.

Deputy Mayor C.K. Manisankar, A.B. Sabu, M. Anil Kumar, N. Venugopal, K.N. Sunil Kumar, and V.J. Hycinth participated in the discussions.

The Mayor presented the resolution saying that the Council approved granting of the works on the Goshree-Mamangalam Road, Pachalam railway overbridge, Thammanam-Pullepady Road, Ponnurunni railway overbridge and Atlantis railway overbridge – all being constructed under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission – as well as the Panampilly Nagar overbridge, Island-Kannangatt bridge, and Rajaji Road-Gandhi Nagar railway overbridge for which detailed project reports are being prepared – to the Kerala Road and Bridges Corporation.

The Council also approved the project to issue smart cards to those the below poverty line (BPL).

Last Updated on Sunday, 30 August 2009 00:28
 

PMC orders strict action against encroachments

Friday, 28 August 2009 08:20 administrator
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The Times of India 28.08.2009

PMC orders strict action against encroachments

TNN 28 August 2009, 01:21am IST

PUNE: Pune municipal commissioner Mahesh Zagade has ordered strict action against encroachments in the city, especially on land to be reserved for bio diversity parks.

Speaking with TOI after a meeting of civic department heads on Thursday, Zagade said, "Strict orders have been issued to ward officers and zonal commissioners to carry out persistent drives against encroachments. I have told the officers to demolish all illegal constructions on lands identified for bio diversity parks."

Zagade said the PMC was already initiating a drive against illegal advertisements and flex boards. "The PMC has a policy against illegal flex boards and hoardings. Orders have been issued to follow the guidelines in the policy," he said.

Meanwhile, the anti-encroachment squad of the Warje-Karvenagar ward office demolished about 3,000 sq ft of illegal construction, including a building, in the Warje bio diversity park area. Illegal constructions were also demolished in Bavdhan and Dhanori areas.
 

VIPs turn encroachers? Complaints galore in Panchkula

Thursday, 27 August 2009 13:24 administrator
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Indian Express 27.08.2009

VIPs turn encroachers? Complaints galore in Panchkula

Parking

The lane outside the house of Punjab MLA Rana Gurmeet Sodhi has turned into a private parking.

The Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) and the Panchkula Municipal Council (MC) have always claimed to be strict against encroachers in the city, but allegations have surfaced that among the major offenders are some HUDA officials and VIPs.

According to residents of Sector 12 in Panchkula, S C Mehta, a sub-divisional officer with HUDA in Ambala, has installed a cellphone tower at his residence, ignoring their objections.

Not only that, they allege, he has even encroached upon an entire plot next to his house and developed it as a private park.

“Several times, the residents of the area have complained to the authorities about the mobile tower that he has installed atop his house, but the authorities fail to take action against him. Not only this, it has been years now since he has encroached upon a plot adjoining his house where he has developed a personal garden,” said a resident of the area who did not wish to be named.

He added: “It is a matter of shame for HUDA that it is unable to put a check on its own officials who have turned into big-time encroachers in the city.”

Mehta, however, claimed that the park had been developed for him by HUDA.

T C Gupta, Chief Administrator, HUDA, said, “I shall inquire into the matter. Any kind of encroachment by the official will be removed with immediate effect.”

Similar is the condition in Sector 6, where Haryana Inspector General M S Mann has allegedly encroached upon a public park. “It has been years now since security guards of the IG have put up tents in the public park, causing much discomfort to residents, especially children,” said Mukesh Sharma, a local resident.

He added, “It is very disappointing to see that the authorities have different rules for commoners and the VIPs.”

Mann refused to comment on the issue.

O P Sihag, Executive Officer, MC, told Newsline, “We have taken a serious note of the problem and are now planning to take up the matter strictly. For this, a survey of all the public parks in the city, which have been encroached upon, is being done.”

At Sector 4, Punjab MLA Rana Sodhi has allegedly encroached upon HUDA road for several years by constructing a garage. “HUDA has done nothing. But if any other resident had done a similar act, it would have acted without any second thoughts,” said Suresh Aggarwal, a local resident.

Last Updated on Thursday, 27 August 2009 13:33
 
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