Heavy showers bring relief from humidity

But Raipurians still upset with waterlogging problem

Raipur, July 22, 2010

Heavy showers on Thursday noon although brought respite to Raipurians from hot and humid conditions, but they are still infuriated with the waterlogging problem which looms large during rains not only in low-lying areas, but even in posh colonies, public places and main roads of the capital. There was no loss of life or property in any of the flooded areas, informed officials of RMC’s disaster relief cell.
The rains severely hit the normal life as the office-goers, businessmen and schoolchildren faced tough time. The overloaded autos with schoolchildren, that adopt alternate routes instead of main roads to avoid being trapped by traffic cops, were seen stuck in waterlogged narrow streets. The condition of pedestrians, too, was miserable.
Waterlogging caused inconvenience to the residents, motorists and pedestrians in several areas including Choubey colony, Samta colony, Saddu, Anand Nagar, Shankar Nagar sector-2, Nahar Para, Gudhiyari, Ashok Nagar, Srinagar, Dharam Nagar, Hanuman Nagar, Veerbhadra Nagar, Chhattisgarh Nagar, Vidya Nagar, Nehru Nagar, Kali Nagar, Chandi Nagar, Ram Nagar, Priyadarshini Nagar, Durga Nagar, Sarona, Itabhatta, Saddu, Chuna Bhatti, Murra Bhatti, etc. Waterlogging was also seen in VIP areas including Civil Lines.
At GE Road, there was knee-deep water near Coffee House. Similarly, waterlogging at Jaistambh chowk, Station chowk and other main squares of the city slowed the traffic as motorists cautiously crossed such spots. 
The waterlogging at Gudhiyari under-bridge, traffic bottlenecks at Mova near level crossing due to big potholes and due to under-construction overbridge narrated the same old story that neither the district or civic administration nor the state government want to improve the capital’s conditions.
In the outskirts of the city, there was traffic jam from Pachpedi Naka chowk to Raipura chowk at Ring Road No 1 due to illegally parked heavy vehicles at roadsides and due to scattered construction materials everywhere for fourlane project. The motorists adopting Ring Road No 2 were also stuck in jam due to illegally parked heavy vehicles at Transport Nagar Tatibandh and from Sondongari to Ravabhatha.
Mayor Kiranmayi Nayak who inspected Anand Nagar on Thursday found that waterlogging in the area had crippled the life there. She asked the municipal officials to engage poclain and suction pump to take out water.


Elocution, painting competition today

Raipur, July 22, 2010

An elocution and painting competition will be organised in Pt RD Tiwari School on Friday to observe 120th birth anniversary of state’s renowned social reformer Ram Dayal Tiwari. The school principal MK Varu informed that painting competition would be held from 12.30 pm to 1.30 pm in which students of all the schools from 5-18 years old can participate. Later, an elocution competition would be organised for the students above class IX from 2 pm to 3.30 pm. At 4.30 pm, the winners of both the competition would be awarded in a prize distribution function in which Mayor Kiranmayi Nayak will be the chief guest. On the occasion, RMC Speaker Sanjay Shrivastava, municipal’s Education department president Deenbandhu Singh Thakur and corporator of Thakur Pyarelal Singh ward Pushpa Tiwari will also be present. Prof Ramkumar Behar from Pt RSU’s History department will shed light on the life of Pt RD Tiwari. The school principal has informed that interested students could directly approach to office administration to participate in painting and elocution competitions.


RMC employees tie black bands to protest bulk transfers

Raipur, July 22, 2010

To protest bulk transfers of municipal employees and with their demand to quickly provide VIth payscale, the RMC employees on Thursday tied black bands at work. The president of Raipur Nagar Palik Nigam Karmachari Mahasangh (RNPNKM) Harendra Kumar Sahu and general secretary Surendra Dubey jointly informed that the protest of employees in the form of black bands would continue on Friday and if their demands would not be fulfilled. The duo further said that all the municipal staffers would take mass leave on July 24, 2010. In this regard, the RNPNKM delegation also submitted a memorandum to the civic Commissioner. 

Poor quality houses built under BSUP to be demolished

Commissioner gives 7-day ultimatum to officials
 

RMC plans to hand over hospitals, Kalibadi isolation centre to government
 

Raipur, July 22, 2010

The poor quality houses constructed under Basic Services for Urban Poor (BSUP) through Centrally-sponsored Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) in the city will be demolished and reconstructed according to the norms. RMC Commissioner OM Prakash Choudhary has given ultimatum to the officials to demolish the houses constructed below norm in Hirapur-Jarvay and near Wallfort City areas within seven days. Choudhary’s directives came while he was reviewing the ongoing development works in the capital on Thursday.
The reports of poor quality houses surfaced much earlier after which Choudhary had asked the officials to rebuild such houses. However, no action was taken at that time. Irked by the lethargic and negligent attitude of the officials, Choudhary instructed them to take rapid action and submit comprehensive report on it in a week.
He said the RMC would soon implement vendor policy prepared under JNNURM for which suitable spot would be selected by Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) KK Dubey and zone-8 Commission Shibu Patel.
Choudhary also expressed his annoyance our insanitation in the capital and asked Deputy Commissioner (Health) GS Kshatriya to ensure garbage scattered in the different parts of the city be lifted and dumped in the trenching ground quickly.
Choudhary further informed the officials that soon the hospitals including Kalibadi isolation centre operated by the municipal would be handed over to the government. He asked the official to provide complete details of RMC hospitals including their existing infrastructure along with land area.