*Plea to reconsider Kovai city development plan
*
COIMBATORE: The city-based People?s Watchdog Committee has appealed to the
Government of India to reconsider the Coimbatore city development plan to be
executed under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
Talking to reporters here on Wednesday, Pon Chandran, Coordinator of the
Watchdog Committee, and Dr Ramesh of the technical committee said importance
was not given to vital sectors like drinking water, underground drainage,
preservation of water sources, healthcare and sanitation in the Wilbur Smith
report for the development of the Coimbatore city.
?We were shocked to know that 70 percent of the scheme amount had been
allocated for development of transportation sector,? they said, adding that
it was regrettable that the core issues mentioned above were either ignored
or neglected.
The objective of the mission was to improve the quality of life of the
city?s residents but this aspect seems to have been conveniently forgotten
by the consulting agency which prepared the report. As such the watchdog
committee has presented a detailed alternative plan for the consideration of
the government.
Giving a detailed history of Coimbatore and its gradual emergence as an
industrial hub and centre of learning over the decades, Ramesh said that
important aspects like measures for fighting epidemics like cholera and
plague and natural disasters like earthquakes and floods were not taken note
of by the consultants while preparing the report.
He also wanted supply of protected drinking water to the citizens as
Coimbatore faced an acute shortage of drinking water from 2000 to 2003.
Attention should be paid also to provision of underground drainage system
and solid waste management, he felt.
*
COIMBATORE: The city-based People?s Watchdog Committee has appealed to the
Government of India to reconsider the Coimbatore city development plan to be
executed under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
Talking to reporters here on Wednesday, Pon Chandran, Coordinator of the
Watchdog Committee, and Dr Ramesh of the technical committee said importance
was not given to vital sectors like drinking water, underground drainage,
preservation of water sources, healthcare and sanitation in the Wilbur Smith
report for the development of the Coimbatore city.
?We were shocked to know that 70 percent of the scheme amount had been
allocated for development of transportation sector,? they said, adding that
it was regrettable that the core issues mentioned above were either ignored
or neglected.
The objective of the mission was to improve the quality of life of the
city?s residents but this aspect seems to have been conveniently forgotten
by the consulting agency which prepared the report. As such the watchdog
committee has presented a detailed alternative plan for the consideration of
the government.
Giving a detailed history of Coimbatore and its gradual emergence as an
industrial hub and centre of learning over the decades, Ramesh said that
important aspects like measures for fighting epidemics like cholera and
plague and natural disasters like earthquakes and floods were not taken note
of by the consultants while preparing the report.
He also wanted supply of protected drinking water to the citizens as
Coimbatore faced an acute shortage of drinking water from 2000 to 2003.
Attention should be paid also to provision of underground drainage system
and solid waste management, he felt.