Old woman’s hut angers Mambalam residents

Chennai: They have petitioned the Che­nnai corporation commissioner, Mayor, deputy mayor and also the chief minister’s cell, but the long struggle of the residents of Gokulam colony to remove a single hut encroaching on the road has not come to an end.

Gokulam Colony (ward 135) at West Mambalam ho­uses around 200 families and has well laid roads and civic amenities.

But the wi­de approach road to the In­dian Bank bus stop conne­cting Balakrishna Mudali Street has been encro­ached by Nagammal, an old woman, who says that she has every legal right to reside there.

The residents have moved the court aga­in­­st Nagammal, but to no avail as the corporation has not appeared at the he­a­rings, giving the lady an ex-parte stay.

“We do not know why the case is still pending and the corporation is hesitant to appear at the court,” said Bala­ku­mar, a resident.

“The question is does not the corporation know how to add­re­ss the issue or is Naga­mmal more powerful than commissioner Vikram Ka­pur and the mayor?” he asks.

Residents say that the co­rporation’s map does not show any legally approved st­ructure where Naga­m­mal resides and claim that she has fabricated docum­ents. Residents say the hut obstructing the ro­ad has even resulted in some accidents.

But Nagammal has her own stand. “I have been livi­­ng here for decades and he­nce need a huge sum as compensation to move fr­om here,” she says.

“I have never disturbed anyone. People here have caste pre­judices and hence want me to move,” she adds.

Next: Cemetery staff face risks of infection without vaccination

Cemetery staff face risks of infection without vaccination

C.S. Kotteswaran | DC

Chennai: The Chennai corporation has partially discontinued vaccinations for burial ground work­e­rs and undertakers working at the corporation burial grounds, endangering the lives of its staff.

The civic body earlier provided hepatitis-B and tetanus injections to those handling cor­p­ses as they are prone to life threatening infections.

On a daily basis, up to three dozen bodies are cremated in the corporation burial grounds. There used to be regular medical check-ups but of late, such tests are not conducted, said a burial ground assista­nt serving in north Che­nnai.

“We have no safety gloves or sanitisers. Ea­rlier there were periodical medical inspections for all corporation staff, particularly sweepers and caretakers. The corporation is the custodian of public health in Chennai and it is time for the civic body to set an example and take care of its staff,” said S. Purus­ho­thaman, general secretary, Chennai Manag­aratchi Anaithu Thurai Uzhiyargal Sangham.

When contacted, a few assistant health office­rs in charge of the burial grounds either evaded queries or mainta­ined that medical che­ck-ups were conducted for crematorium staff; they failed to respond to queries on periodic vaccinations and boosters.

The civic body does stock anti rabies vials for its dog catchers.

“Whenever our staff are bitten by stray dogs, vials are provided to them and they get the injection done at the nearby primary health centre or clinic,” a corporation official said.

In case of those working at the mortuary of Rajiv Gandhi Gove­rn­ment General Hosp­ital, the staff are periodically sent for safety injections and boosters at the out-patient ward.

Next: Departments, civic bodies float tenders in hurry

Departments, civic bodies float tenders in hurry

C.S. Kotteswaran | DC

Chennai: With the monsoon coming to an end and the model co­de of conduct expected to commence by March, state government departments are vying with each other in floating tenders.

Most tender works are related to relaying or upg­rading roads, construction of bridges and storm wa­ter drains across the state.

In the first week of Jan­u­ary al­­o­ne, about 470 tend­ers ha­ve been floated. In the past two days alone, more than 200 tender notices have be­en publis­hed, inviting contractors to execute projects worth several crore rupees.

The Parliament session is likely to end by Feb­ruary; this means that the model code of conduct can be exp­ected by the first week of Ma­rch and hence the spe­eding up of paper work, op­i­ned a city corporation en­gineer. “The­re was a total ban on road cuts and road re­l­aying projects due to the monsoon, and now we have intensified the tender procedures.

Most tenders will be settled in a fortnight so that the basic works will be completed by Febr­uary,” the engineer added.

According to top secretariat sources, Chennai co­r­poration, municipal bodies, PW­D, fisheries and sta­te highways are now floating tenders to execute department works.

Proj­e­cts inviting feasibility stu­dies for proposed pr­o­jects and awarding fishing ri­ghts in reservoirs, const­r­uction of civil buildings are also awarded. Mo­re te­nders will follow from ot­her departments in the da­­­ys to come, sources ad­ded.

“The roads are really bad and temporary patch wo­rks taken up by the corporation had also eroded and with polls approaching, we can ex­pect quality roads,” says Gopala Krishnan, ret­ired government staff residing in Kolathur.