Clean and Green Karur will become a reality, says Mayor
The Hindu
Uninterrupted drinking water, sanitation and clean roads will be my priority
The first Mayor of the newly upgraded Karur Corporation, V. Kavitha Ganesan, said the city, which is one of the highest foreign exchange earners to the country, would get all basic infrastructure and soon turn “clean and green.”
Speaking to The Hindu, Ms. Ganesan (43), a multifaceted personality with a rich experience in public life and entrepreneurship said Karur was well known in international textile market. However, it did not posses the basic civic infrastructure to befit its stature. No constructive work was taken up over the last six years as it was fully administered by officials. A framework for improving civic infrastructure would be prepared under the guidance of Minister for Electricity V. Senthil Balaji and in consultation with all stakeholders, she said.
“I have begun a ward-wise tour to understand the issues. My goal is to make Karur a clean city. Uninterrupted and protected drinking water for all, good sanitation and clean roads will be my priority,” said Ms. Ganesan, who had previously served as the Chairperson of Inam Karur Municipality, between 2006 and 2011, before the civic body was merged with the erstwhile Karur Municipality.
Nearly one-third of Karur city, particularly places like Sanapiratti, had been facing a short supply of drinking water and this needs to be addressed on a priority basis, she said. A comprehensive scheme would be prepared shortly by sourcing water from the Cauvery. Once implemented, the scheme would help overcome shortcomings related to water supply in Karur. Roads would be improved at an estimate of ₹33 crore and the project had already begun, she said.
Ms. Ganesan said some parts of old Karur and Inam Karur had already been covered under the underground drainage scheme built in 2007. Other areas and newly added residential localities had to be provided with the sewer lines and this might require an investment of about ₹300 crore. The project is planned to be implemented under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT). Similarly, there was a need to build an integrated bus stand to operate buses in a hassle-free manner. The process of identifying a suitable site was on. It would be expedited once the site is finalised.
The Mayor said Karur deserved to be included in the list of smart cities. Besides fulfilling the basic civic facilities, the basic infrastructure required for textile exporters, bus bodybuilders and mosquito net manufacturers had to be created or improved. All out efforts would be taken to include the city for development under the Smart Cities Mission, she said.
The High Court of Karnataka on Friday directed the State government to file its statement of objections on an application filed by Bangalore Turf Club Ltd. (BTC), challenging the June 6 orders passed by the government in rejecting the BTC’s applications seeking permission to conduct on-course horse races and betting during the June-August season.