New underground drainage scheme finalised for city

The network to run up to a distance of 800 km and to handle about 200 million litres of sewage a day

November 24, 2012 01:08 pm | Updated 01:09 pm IST - TIRUCHI

member of Consumer Protection Council, Tamil Nadu, raising a point at an interactive meeting on civic issues in the city on Thursday. Photo: M. Moorthy

member of Consumer Protection Council, Tamil Nadu, raising a point at an interactive meeting on civic issues in the city on Thursday. Photo: M. Moorthy

A new underground drainage scheme, to cover areas which do not have the facility so far in the city, has been finalised and the project is to be implemented at a tentative cost of Rs.160 crore.

Disclosing this at an interactive meeting on civic issues with members of Consumer Protection Council, Tamil Nadu, here on Thursday, Corporation Commissioner V.P.Thandapani said the design for the project has been finalised.

With the Corporation expecting the city to be covered under the phase two of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, the project is likely to be taken up under it, he indicated. The corporation has already drawn up a city development plan in anticipation of the inclusion of the city under the Centrally sponsored scheme.

60 per cent sewage

The new scheme would have a sewage network running up to a total distance of 800 km and would have a capacity to handle about 200 million litres of sewage a day. Once the new scheme was implemented, it would handle about 60 per cent of the sewage generated in the city.

New pumping stations would come up at Kuzhumani and Keezha Kalkandarkottai from where the sewage would be pumped to the Corporation sewage treatment farm at Panchapur.

The existing underground sewer system, he said, was already handling more than its capacity and nearly 56 MLD of sewage was currently being pumped to Panchapur currently.

Mr.Thandapani also affirmed that new drinking water augmentation scheme, currently under execution, would ensure a per capita water supply of 135 litres a day.

Efforts were on to benchmark the civic services provided by the corporation and steps were being taken to improve and strengthen the services.

Though the city required about 5,000 sanitary workers, it currently had just about 1,600 workers. The corporation has however deployed men’s self help groups to improve sanitation. About 450-500 tonnes, against the normal average of 380 tonnes, of solid waste was collected and transported to the Ariyamangalam garbage dump in the city every day over the past few days.

Pilot project

The corporation would take up a pilot project in 12 select wards for improving solid waste management. Under the initiative, door-to-door collection of solid waste would be arranged.

A consultant has also been appointed to draw up an integrated storm water network in the city. The corporation was also in the process of framing by-laws to regulate and curb rearing of cattle in the city. A birth control programme to check the stray dog menace was already underway and the government was planning to carry out anti-rabies vaccination on stray dogs across the State. The government was also planning to set up care centres for terminally ill stray dogs.

Mr.Thandapani also assured that steps would be taken to remove all encroachments in the city within the next couple of weeks.

S.Selvakumar, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime and Traffic), who also fielded queries, claimed chain snatching incidents have come down in the city.

The police have collected details where chain snatching incidents were recurrent and additional patrolling has been arranged, especially during non-peak hours.

Besides, vehicle checks have been intensified. With nearly five lakh vehicles plying in the city, the police were focussing on accident prevention.

S.Natarajan, president, and S.Pushpavanam, secretary, Consumer Protection Council, Tamil Nadu, spoke.

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