The Coimbatore Corporation came in for criticism from elected representatives at the latest meeting held to review the progress of works under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.
Member of Parliament, Coimbatore, P.R. Natarajan told The Hindu that the way the Corporation was executing the work was not just unsatisfactory. But disappointing. None of the four schemes the Corporation has taken up under the JNNURM project – underground drainage work, storm water drain, solid waste management and Pilloor drinking water supply scheme – is complete.
That too, after overshooting the target by a mere two years.
Now the officials had told him that they would seek another two years to complete the project, which was condemnable. Local bodies of Grade ‘ B’ cities like Coimbatore – Mysore and Surat – that had taken up the work when the Coimbatore Corporation did, had completed the works under Phase I and were on their way to implementing schemes under Phase II.
Mr. Natarajan wanted to know why the Corporation had not fixed targets and taken to task people who had overshot the deadline. He said he sought an explanation from the officials regarding the delay in completing the Pilloor water supply work, particularly the ‘Package One’ of it, which the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation is contracted to execute.
The delay on the part of the Corporation to complete the work would only impact the developments in added areas, as the existing JNNURM schemes cover only the old Corporation area – 60 wards. For the remaining 40 wards the Corporation had only prepared detailed project reports. The execution was way far off. The MP also referred to the delay in clearing the hurdle with regard to the sewage treatment plant in Nanjundapuram and slackness in acquiring land for the treatment plant in Ondipudur.
The Chief Minister should intervene in this issue and ensure that the Coimbatore Corporation completed the projects at the earliest.
