Urban News

  • Increase font size
  • Default font size
  • Decrease font size
Tamil Nadu News Papers

Erode UGD reaches tender process

E-mail Print PDF

The Hindu 11.07.2009

Erode UGD reaches tender process

Karthik Madhavan

Contractors interested in the project can apply till July 24

ERODE: Process to award on contract Erode Corporation’s underground drainage (UGD) project has begun.

According to sources in the civic body, contractors interested in taking up the Rs. 209.22 crore project have started applying. The contractors have time till July 24. Though the entire project cost is Rs. 209.22, the tender process is for only Rs. 176 crore, as the Corporation has proposed to take up only a portion of the work.

The sources say the Corporation has proposed for tender only drain, pumping and lift station construction works.

Sewers will run for 504.4 km and have 12 pumping and 10 lift stations to cover Surampatty, Kasipalayam, Veerappan Chatram and Periya Semur Municipalities and Erode Corporation.

The second leg of the UGD project sewage treatment plant (STP) construction will begin soon when the Corporation completes land acquisition. It has identified a site in Peelamedu, near here.

The sources say the civic body has proposed a DBOOT design, build, own, operate and transfer model for the STP, capable of treating 61 million litres a day.

At present, the sewage discharge from the aforementioned four municipalities and Corporation is 42 mld.

As for the funding, the Corporation will get Rs. 71.14 crore as loan and Rs. 62.77 in grant from KfW, a German agency, Rs. 9.83 crore from the State Government and Rs. 3.6 crore from Local Planning Authority.

It has to raise Rs. 61.89 crore from its resources and public contribution.

Once complete, the civic body will charge monthly maintenance fee from households and commercial establishments

(See accompanying graphic for usage fee).

Last Updated on Saturday, 11 July 2009 07:44
 

Corpn. yet to open public library for want of books

E-mail Print PDF

The Hindu 11.07.2009

Corpn. yet to open public library for want of books

Staff Reporter

– PHOTO: M. GOVARTHAN

Long wait: Erode Corporation is yet to throw open its Periyar Nagar library to the public.

ERODE: In Periyar Nagar here, Erode Corporation, with much publicity, announced the construction of a library.

Elected representatives of the civic body listed the facilities the public library would have. They talked about the books the library would have, special arrangements to help students prepare for competitive examinations, including civil services, and also the attached browsing centre.

The announcement attracted more than the desired publicity, what with the representatives keeping it by attracting politicians at regular intervals for inspection. However, neither the councillors nor Corporation officials have spoken about the library in the recent past.

The reason: since completion in March 2009 the Corporation has kept the library under lock and key for want of books. At present, at the Rs. 45 lakh worth facility, spread over 2,80 sq.ft., there is nothing much for the public.According to sources in the Erode Corporation, right after the completion of the construction, the civic body was engaged in the conduct of the general election and is now at the job.

The Corporation has written to the State library authority asking for the books to be purchased, particularly for competitive examinations. The sources also say that it is also in the process of writing to the Government asking for utilisation of the annual library cess towards purchase of books. Every year, the civic body pays the State Government Rs. 50 lakh.

The sources assure that the civic body will soon throw open to the public the library with browsing centre.

Last Updated on Wednesday, 21 October 2009 05:36
 

'New plan to clean Coovum getting ready'

E-mail Print PDF

The New Indian Express 10.07.2009

'New plan to clean Coovum getting ready'



CHENNAI: The project report for cleaning Coovum river is getting ready, PWD Minister Durai Murugan told the State Assembly on Thursday.

Replying to a query by AIADMK member R Sekar Babu, the Minister said the Central government had approved a mega plan for cleaning up Buckingham canal at a cost of Rs.1,447 crore. For the first phase, Rs.633 crore had been sanctioned and the work on desilting the canals in North Chennai areas was already underway. Precautionary measures to prevent flooding during rainy seasons were also being taken.

Apart from this, a plan for repairing waterways in the city had been submitted to the World Bank and the bank had advised the State government to take up the cleaning of Coovum river as a separate project. Following this, a Special Officer has been appointed for preparing the plan for cleaning Coovum.

Stating that a river akin to Coovum was cleaned up in America and a team of experts would visit the place to know the techniques applied there, Durai Murugan said the State government was paying special attention for cleaning Coovum.

over the years

1967

A clean Cooum project at a cost of Rs 118 lakh was launched by the then Chief Minister C N Annadurai

1973

Chief Minister M Karunanidhi launches pleasure boat services

1976

P Sivalingam Committee recommends projects worth Rs 22 crore to improve the waterways of Chennai

1991

Seven Trent, a consultancy firm, was commissioned to look at ways to improve the water courses in the city

1994

A study by Mott MacDonald proposed projects worth Rs 34.8 crore for improving the Cooum

1998

River improvement project launched; Rs 19 crore earmarked for improving the quality of Cooum water

2000

Chennai City River Conservation Project launched with an outlay of Rs 720 crore

2008

World Bank aid to clean the river would be sought, announces the State Govt

History

Cooum River is one of the two rivers running through Chennai, the other being the Adyar River. It originates from a place called Koovam in Tiruvalluvar district

It is one of the shortest river draining into the Bay of Bengal with a length of only 65 km

The name Cooum is derived from Tamil literature from the word coovalan, meaning a person who is proficient in the science of hydrology. However, there are other definitions as well. One of them says the name is derived from the Sanskrit word koopam meaning spring or well Cooum is no longer a fresh water source. It looks like just another big sewerage, collecting surpluses of 75 small tanks in its course.

 


Page 1586 of 1640