Coimbatore | Cleanliness and Swachh Bharath Updates

Switch soon to biodegradable bags, shops told

Switch soon to biodegradable bags, shops told^^^^

Coimbatore: The city corporation has again urged all hoteliers and retailers to stop using plastic bags of less than 50 microns and switch to biodegradable bags. They urged bigger brands to sponsor and pay for biodegradable bags to be used by the smaller flower retailers, butchers and other small street vendors, as part of CSR activity. They also plan to invite manufacturers of biodegradable bags and market them to the stakeholders.

The civic body conducted a meeting with around 30 hoteliers, retailers, non-governmental organisations and retailers of biodegradable bags and alternate bag manufacturers on Wednesday afternoon. They reminded them of the corporation's decision to completely eradicate the use of plastic in the city. "People who continue to use plastic after a deadline that the civic body sets will be charged for it specifically," said a corporation official. "We again reminded them that they have to start taking efforts to move to biodegradable bags and that the civic body will help them get on that path," said the official.

While hoteliers were not only reminded to move to biodegradable bags, which are likely to be more expensive than plastic bags, it was also suggested that bigger brands either buy bags or pay for biodegradable bags to be used by smaller shops. tnn


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...able-bags-shops-told/articleshow/59906695.cms

Irugur town panchayat is clean and green

Irugur town panchayat is clean and green^^^^

COIMBATORE: A compost yard is recognised mostly by its stink, mess, garbage and dirtiness. But this particular compost yard in Irugur town panchayat is known for its beautiful lawn with 65 trees, kitchen garden, and cleanliness and well-thought out design.

The panchayat has won second place among 537 town panchayats in the state for its work in civic amenities and received the Chief Minister's award on August 15. Not only does the panchayat have healthy financial account but also improved civic infrastructure. It will soon become an open-defecation free. The panchayat has made revenue of Rs7.5 lakh from its solid waste management system in the last three years.

Executive officer of the panchayat M Kanagaraj said the panchayat has 18 wards of which nine are located on its outskirts. "We have 21 sanitary workers and two self-help groups with more than 50 women in it who assist in solid waste management and dengue operations. Thirty-six push carts were bought and the compost yard was set up in a 3-acre land with initial funding of Rs 50 lakh from the state government," said Kanagaraj. The process began in 2014 and the panchayat has only innovated and provided better service since then.

The job of sanitary workers begins at 6am every day as they collect segregated waste from all the 9,000 residences. "It was not an easy task to achieve 100% source segregation and many a times our workers would refuse collecting waste given without segregation," said sanitary supervisor, Harihara Krishnan. The panchayat officials are so organized that they maintain records for everything.

"Every day the waste collected by the workers are weighed and recorded in registers. Even the segregated waste is weighed again at the yard," said Harihara Krishnan. They have also set up boards on all the windrows (waste dumps) to keep track of time.

"The waste needs to be mixed after 30 days and also once after 45 days. So we record the date of arrival and other tasks," said Krishnan. They have set up sprinklers to spray water on the waste dumps.

P Ganeshram, assistant director of town panchayat, Coimbatore zone said out of the 37 town panchayats in Coimbatore, Irugur was adjudged best in January 26 for its waste management practices and financial management.

"They are extremely innovative and have included small things such as putting up a thirukkural board in all the trees planted at the yard. They soon plan to set up a medicinal plant garden at the yard," said Ganeshram.


Kangaraj also said that best performing employees will be awarded in the coming months and the sanitary workers will be paid for the revenue generated form the waste collected by them, starting this month.


Harihara Krishnan said this transition was not easy task. "We keep browsing about innovative technologies used across the world on the internet and keep implementing them here," he said.


The panchayat has also constructed 190 individual household toilets and two community toilets with 36 seats. Construction for 102 houses for the poor has also begun. Waste supply is provided every alternate day for two hours in the panchayat apart from borewell water connections. The revenue collected from taxes alone is Rs 1.5 crore by the panchayat every year and they get additional funding of nearly Rs 30 to 50 lakh each year. "This award means a lot to us. We plan to celebrate it and treat all our workers for their hard work," said Kanagaraj.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...t-is-clean-and-green/articleshow/60094071.cms

Now carry bags that degrade in three months

Now carry bags that degrade in three months^^^^



Coimbatore, Nov 8: Enough of knocking! The door to viable alternative to plastic bags could finally have opened as the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC), has introduced “Bio Bags” that degrade in three months.



The launch of the Bio Bags that happened in the City on Wednesday, could be a landmark event as Coimbatore becomes the second City in the South next to Bengaluru, to adopt such bags.

CCMC has tied up with a Bengaluru-based company named Regeno Ventures Private limited, in the production and promotion of the biodegradable bags.

Talking at the launch, 25-year-old Cibhi Selven, who runs the company, claimed that the bags could be easily dissolved in water.



Unlike normal plastic bags that melt when burnt, these bio-bags become ash when they are burnt. The smoke emanating from the bags during fire is so not harmful,” he said.

“Another important aspect of the bag is that if the water in which the bag is melted is accidentally consumed it is not harmful to health. Plus, the bags are also not harmful to animals if they consume it," added Cibhi.



Despite being an apt alternative to plastic bags, bio-bags are a little costlier compared to normal plastic bags. According to the manufacturers, they cost 80% more than plastic bags.

CCMC had a little earlier brought in biodegradable bags exhibited by Classic Polo during an exhibition that was held recently in Coimbatore. Classic Polo had bought the bags from True Green, another Bengaluru-based manufacturer. However, CCMC have decided to procure from Regeno for the needs of the city.

In order to tackle duplication of these viable bio-bags, it is advised to buy the bags that carry the Coimbatore Smart City logo.


Talking on the day, Commissioner and Special Officer of CCMC Dr.K. Vijayakarthikeyan claimed that the project would be a success if people receive it well.

“Our city is producing 1000 metric tonnes of solid waste each day. If we could recycle most of it, then Coimbatore will be cleaner and healthier", opined the Commissioner.

Talking about the preparations the city is going through for Swachh Survekshan, he invited strong participation of citizens in making Coimbatore an efficient and self sustaining model.

The event was held as a part of the Capacity Building Workshop on Swachh Survekshan - 2018.

http://simpli-city.in/news-detail.php?nid=18938&isnotify=n

Around 10 days ago, when Siddhapudur resident S. Manohara Manivannan went to use the newly constructed public convenience facility next to the Gandhipuram town bus stand on Nanjappa Road, he was asked to pay ₹5.

While exiting, when he questioned the person who collected the ‘fee’, he was told that it was a mistake to have collected ₹5 and that it was only ₹4. Thereafter when he demanded a receipt/token, a second person appeared and handed over a receipt.

A month or so earlier, when the family of a Coimbatore Corporation health wing employee went to the toilet, they too were asked to cough up money.

The Corporation, however, maintains that the facility is free. If complaints are brought to its notice, it will not hesitate to initiate action against the contractor.

But the story does not end there. Consumer activists say the Corporation has turned a public convenience facility into a revenue spinning machinery, for it collects money from not only public but also from contractor by way of letting out the premises for advertisement.

Coimbatore Consumer Cause’s secretary K. Kathirmathiyon wants to know if the Corporation is so poor to maintain the toilet that it wants to collect from the public by way of user charges and contractor by way of advertisement revenue.

Incidentally, the Corporation rebuilt the toilet with funds at ₹50 lakh that came from the Central Government under the Swachh Bharat Mission.

Corporation officials, citing the Swachh Bharat Mission guidelines, say the civic body is permitted to generate revenue by way of advertisements.

The guidelines say, “...ULBs (urban local bodies) may also identify land for public toilets and leverage this land and advertisements to encourage the private sector to construct and manage public toilets through PPP agreement.”

But with the Corporation constructing the toilet with government funds, it has no business generating revenue by way of advertisement. And even if it has to, the advertisement has to confirm to norms. In this case, it has not, Mr. Karthirmathiyon alleges.

He adds that if the Corporation is sincere about clean Coimbatore, it should have displayed Swachh Bharat message on the hoarding as its vantage location will reach more people.

However, the Corporation officials maintain that the advertisement is to generate revenue for the toilet maintenance and is in compliance to rules.

http://epaper.dinamalar.com/PUBLICA...017/12/15/Article//251/15_12_2017_251_004.jpg

Coimbatore gets e-toilets

Coimbatore gets e-toilets^^^^



Coimbatore, Dec. 20

Coimbatore got four e- toilets, two at Gandhipuram town bus stand and two more at Race Course. While the two at Gandhipuram town bus stand have started functioning with good patronage from public since the second week of this month, e-toilets at Race Course will start functioning soon, said a senior official with Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation .

E- toilets with a unique design, that occupies less space and require less water than what the normal toilets require and relatively maintenance free are a boon to cities like Coimbatore that aim at improving their ranking in the Swachh Survekshan Survey and reduce open defecation, he asserted.

Explaining the functioning of e- toilets, he said, it is a fully automated toilet with a pay- and- use facility where door opens on users paying 1 rupee or two rupee coin and the sensors in the toilet sense the human activity and flush before and after use.

E- toilets are programmed to flush 1.5 litres of water after three minutes of usage or 4.5 liters if usage is longer and clean the platform with a complete wash down after every five or ten persons use the toilet, he noted.

Eram Scientific Solutions Pvt.Ltd had built these four toilets- two units of two each in the city. Several cities such as Hyderabad, Chennai, Varanasi and Thiruvanthapuram already had e- toilets and now Coimbatore has joined the group, he added.

E- toilets in Gandhipuram town bus stand are easy to use and audio commands on how to use it would help the unlettered as well, said Mahendran, a resident of Ganapathy.

Rather than using e- toilets, some have had the habit of relieving themselves at its backyard during night time which is truly disgusting, he added.

I used the e- toilet facility twice before and the best thing about the e- toilet is it is portable, eco-friendly and hygienically maintained, said, Ms. Revathy, an engineering student.

Our city deserves more e- toilets and we expect Corporation to build more, she pleaded

http://simpli-city.in/news-detail.php?nid=20227

தூய்மை பாரதம் திட்டத்தின் கீழ் ரூ. 12 கோடி ஒ&#

தூய்மை பாரதம் திட்டத்தின் கீழ் ரூ. 12 கோடி ஒதுக்கீடு^^^^

கோவை மாநகராட்சிப் பகுதிகளில் தூய்மை பாரதம் திட்டத்தின் கீழ் தூய்மைப் பணிகளை மேம்படுத்த மத்திய அரசு ரூ. 12 கோடி நிதி வழங்கியுள்ளது.

கோவை மாநகராட்சி சார்பில் மத்திய அரசின் தூய்மை பாரதம் திட்டத்தின் கீழ் நூறு வார்டுகளில் பல்வேறு தூய்மைப் பணிகள் மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்டு வருகின்றன. இத்திட்டத்தின் கீழ் மாநகராட்சிப் பகுதிகளில் பொதுக் கழிப்பறை, தனிநபர் கழிப்பறைகள், குப்பைப் பெட்டிகள், வண்டிகள் வாங்குதல் உள்ளிட்ட பல்வேறு தூய்மைப் பணிகள் மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்டு வருகின்றன.

இந்நிலையில், மாநகரப் பகுதிகளில் தூய்மைப் பணிகளை விரிவுபடுத்தவும், நவீன முறையில் தூய்மை பாரத திட்டப் பணிகளை மேற்கொள்ளவும் மாநகராட்சி சார்பில் விரிவான திட்ட அறிக்கை தயாரிக்கப்பட்டு மத்திய அரசுக்கு அனுப்பி வைக்கப்பட்டது. இதையடுத்து, மாநகராட்சி நிர்வாகத்தின் மூலமாக தூய்மை பாரதம் திட்டத்தை செயல்படுத்த ரூ. 12 கோடி நிதி அளிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.

இதேபோல, மாநகராட்சிப் பகுதிகளில் சாலைகளைச் செப்பனிடவும், பாதாளச் சாக்கடைக்காக தோண்டப்பட்ட சாலைகளைச் சீரமைக்கவும் மாநகராட்சிப் பொது நிதியில் இருந்து ரூ. 7 கோடி ஒதுக்கீடு செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது.

http://www.dinamani.com/all-edition...த்தின்-கீழ்-ரூ-12-கோடி-ஒதுக்கீடு-2833738.html

http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/coimbatore-city-corpn-s-feat-117123000483_1.html

Coimbatore City corpn's feat

Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation has climbed from the 197th place to 16th in the country in the Swachch Bharat Mission's implementation, a top official said today.

"It is my aim to make it number one city in this regard," Corporation Commissioner and Special Officer, Dr Vijayakarthikeyan said.

He was speaking after handing over the 'certificate of appreciation" to the KG Hospital which was adjudged the number one healthcare provider in the city for its contribution towards the implementation of Swachch Bharat Mission.

The certificate was given based on the Swachchata Ranking-2018 assessment in respect of 'Above 100 bedded multi-specialty hospitals.'

It was received by hospital chairman Dr G.Bakthavathsalam.

Corpn to set up stalls to sell biodegradable plastic bags very soon

Corpn to set up stalls to sell biodegradable plastic bags very soon^^^^

Coimbatore: The civic body will soon sell biodegradable plastic bags at stalls to be set up inside the corporation premises to popularise the same among the public.
Under the smart city mission, the civic body had held meetings with the hotelier association, catering association, corporates, marriage hall owners, small shop owners and city residents to create awareness about biodegradable bags that are soluble in hot water.

"We are getting enquires about the bags. People want to be part of the change, but do not know how to get these bags. To introduce them in the market, we will set up a stall inside the corporation campus. All the alternative products for plastic will be available there. It will be a one-stop shop," said an official.

The first stall will be set up inside the main corporation building campus at Town Hall in a few weeks, a source confirmed. For this, officials have received the nod from the city corporation commissioner, K Vijakarthikeyan. He told TOI that the stall will be set up soon. "The bags will be sold at the same rates they are purchased at," he said.

Apart from the bio-degradable bags, spoons, cups and other alternatives will be for sale at the stalls. "The cost of bags will range between Rs 1.90 and Rs 6. People who are looking for alternatives for other plastic items such as cups can also find them in the stall," said an official. Regular programmes will be held at temples, wedding halls and other public events to create awareness on these alternatives as well.

Once it becomes popular, the bags will be sold at every shop and the civic body may set up stalls in all corporation offices, the official added.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com...astic-bags-very-soon/articleshow/62531281.cms

You will no longer be charged for using town bus stand toilet

You will no longer be charged for using town bus stand toilet
^^^^

Coimbatore: The public toilet constructed using the Swachh Bharat Mission fund near the Gandhipuram Town Bus Stand became free-to-use after TOI reported about the contractor fleecing its users. Stickers have been stuck on the facility, announcing its free status.

The toilet was constructed at a cost of about Rs 42lakh, which was sanctioned by the Central government and using donations by the corporates in the city. It was meant to be a free-to-use facility since it was opened last April. But, Vardhan Infrastructure Civil Engineers and Contractors was charging Rs 5 from users.

A back-of-the-envelope calculation revealed that the contractor was pocketing Rs 3 lakh per month since last April. Representatives of the company had told TOI that they charged the public to maintain the toilet, even as the city corporation provided free water and electricity to maintain it. The contractor had also received permission from the district collector and the corporation commissioner to set up advertisement boards to earn revenue from it. That revenue, as per tender norms, was supposed to be used to maintain the facility.



Corporation commissioner K Vijayakarthikeyan said that he had already called for an inquiry into the matter. "We will issue show cause notices to the contractor, asking why action should not be initiated against them," he said.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com...own-bus-stand-toilet/articleshow/62561424.cms

முக்கிய இடங்களில் இரவு நேரத்தில் துப்பு&

முக்கிய இடங்களில் இரவு நேரத்தில் துப்புரவுப் பணி: மாநகராட்சி புதிய முயற்சி^^^^

போக்குவரத்து நெருக்கடி அதிகம் உள்ள முக்கிய இடங்களில் இரவு நேரத்தில் துப்புரவுப் பணிகளை மேற்கொள்ளும் புதிய முயற்சியை கோவை மாநகராட்சி தொடங்கியுள்ளது.

கோவை மாநகராட்சியில் 100 வார்டுகள் உள்ளன. 5 மண்டலங்களாகப் பிரிக்கப்பட்டு துப்புரவு, குடிநீர் விநியோகம் உள்பட அனைத்துப் பணிகளும் மேற்கொள்ளப்படுகின்றன.

மாநகராட்சியில் 20 லட்சத்துக்கும் மேற்பட்ட மக்கள் வசித்து வரும் நிலையில் நாள்தோறும் வேலை உள்பட பல்வேறு காரணங்களுக்காக லட்சக்கணக்கான மக்கள் வந்து செல்கின்றனர்.

இதில் காந்திபுரம், டவுன்ஹால், பூமார்க்கெட், உக்கடம், சாய்பாபா காலனி, சிங்காநல்லூர், அவிநாசி சாலை உள்ளிட்ட பகுதிகளில் காலை முதலே போக்குவரத்து அதிகமாக காணப்படுகிறது.

இதனால் துப்புரவுப் பணிகள் மேற்கொள்வதில் பெரும் சிக்கல் ஏற்பட்டு வருகிறது. இந்நிலையில், போக்குவரத்து நெருக்கடி, மக்கள் நடமாட்டம் அதிக அளவில் காணப்படும் இடங்களில் இரவு நேரத்தில் துப்புரவுப் பணிகளை மேற்கொள்ளும் முயற்சியை மாநகராட்சி மேற்கொண்டுள்ளது.

இதனால் எந்தவித இடையூறும் இல்லாமல் எளிதாக துப்புரவுப் பணிகளை மேற்கொள்ள முடிவதாக மாநகராட்சி அதிகாரிகள் தெரிவித்துள்ளனர்.

இது குறித்து மாநகராட்சி நகர்நல அலுவலர் சந்தோஷ்குமார் கூறியதாவது:
பூமார்க்கெட், காந்திபுரம், உக்கடம் போன்ற முக்கிய இடங்களில் காலை நேரத்தில் துப்புரவுப் பணி மேற்கொள்வது மிகவும் சிரமமாக இருந்து வருகிறது. இதற்காக சில ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்பே இரவு நேரத்தில் துப்புரவுப் பணிகள் மேற்கொள்ளும் முயற்சி மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்டது.
ஆனால், பல்வேறு காரணங்களால் கைவிடப்பட்டன. தற்போது, மீண்டும் இரவு நேரத்தில் துப்புரவுப் பணிகள் மேற்கொள்ளும் முயற்சி தொடங்கப்பட்டுள்ளன. ஞாயிற்றுக்கிழமையில் போக்குவரத்து நெருக்கடி மிக அதிகமாக இருப்பதால் வாரம்தோறும் சனிக்கிழமை இரவில் துப்புரவுப் பணி மேற்கொள்ள அறிவுறுத்தப்பட்டுள்ளன.
இரவு நேர துப்புரவுப் பணிக்கு விருப்பமுள்ள பணியாளர்கள் மட்டுமே ஈடுபடுத்தப்படுகின்றனர். இரவு 10 மணி முதல் நள்ளிரவு 1 மணி வரை மேற்கொள்ளப்படுகிறது. இரவு நேரத்தில் மக்கள் நடமாட்டம் மற்றும் போக்குவரத்து நெருக்கடியும் இல்லாததால் துப்புரவுப் பணிகளை எளிதாகவும், விரைவாகவும் மேற்கொள்ள முடிகிறது என்றார்.

https://www.dinamani.com/all-editio...ுப்-பணி-மாநகராட்சி-புதிய-முயற்சி-3193526.html

https://d2na0fb6srbte6.cloudfront.n.../2249531/9873252a-6829-44ab-8ad1-698acad7c8ef