The Coimbatore Corporation will soon embark on an exercise to expand the Citizens Technical Advisory Committee (CTAG), which will work with officials in the formulation and implementation of schemes under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission schemes.
According to sources in the Corporation, the civic body has received close to 80 applications, which are pending with the Mayor S.M. Velusamy, who is likely to take a decision sooner than later.
The Corporation first formed the CTAG soon after it started implementing the underground drainage and storm water drain projects, under the JNNURM scheme.
By the time the CTAG was constituted, the Corporation had already prepared the detailed project reports and begun implementing the schemes. This left very little opportunity for the CTAG members to contribute, recalls R. Raveendran, a CTAG member. The members largely played a role by overseeing the implementation of the projects and suggesting a few changes in the style of execution. But this time, the Corporation should not only constitute the CTAG well in advance but also invite the members to share their expertise in drafting the DPR, he suggests.
N.R. Chidambaram, a CTAG member and former member, Railway Board, says that the Corporation will do well to involve the members right at the DPR preparation stage, as it pays dividends.
He also says that the Corporation officials should stick to commitments and take up suggestions given at the meetings.
His grievance has to do with the deadline, with particular reference to the Pilloor dedicated drinking water supply scheme. The officials said that they would complete the project sometime in 2011. Now it is 2012 September and there is no news of the project getting completed. Such cost overruns are avoidable and the CTAG members with their experience could have helped the officials avoid such delays.
Mr. Chidambaram says that he is ready to work the Corporation again and help implement schemes better.
The two former members also recall how the CTAG played a key role in pointing out the mistakes in the implementation of the GIS scheme.
Since the Corporation launched the scheme after the constitution of the CTAG, its members were able to speak about the poor implementation, Mr. Raveendran says. With the Corporation applying for schemes for added areas to the Central Government under the JNNURM II scheme, the members want the Corporation to take up wider consultation.
