In a shocking incident, blood and throat swab samples of 22 persons, collected for swine flu test, were spoiled. The samples were collected on September 14 and 15 at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Nagpur and were sent too National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune on September 15, but it did not reach NIV from Pune airport, clamed Dr. Dipti Dongaonkar, Dean, GMCH. She further said that the samples are to be checked within 24 hours otherwise those get spoiled. But, the samples remained at Pune airport for over 24 hours due to which all samples were spoiled. Meanwhile, samples of two patients who died on September 16, were also among the 22 spoiled samples. On Saturday, five persons were tested positive, taking the number to 53 in the city. An 11-year-old boy, admitted the same day, also tested positive.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Nagpur Municipal Corporation move to seal mobile towers:
Mobile Phone services in the city were hit after Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) sealed 46 mobile towers on Saturday. Additional Deputy Commissioner Ajay Ramteke said, teams, under guidance of Assistant Commissioners of respective zones, took action against illegal mobile towers as per High Court’s directions on a PIL filed by Jamal Siddique. NMC took the action under Sections 53 and 54 of the Maharashtra Regional Town Planning Act.
Nagpur Municipal Corporation team also sealed control room of a mobile tower. Town Planning Deptt, Electrical Deptt. Staff assisted Nagpur Municipal Corporation team. NMC issued notice after sealing control units, and deployed security guards. Nagpur Municipal Corporation sealed mobile towers at Pratap Nagar, Humpyard Rd, Ambazari Rd, Sai Temple, Laxmi Nagar, Bhande Plot, Ashirwad Nagar, New Nandanvan, Chitnavispura, Honey Archana Apartment, Sakkardara and other places. The drive will continue on Tuesday. Mobile cos. May take temporary permission after paying fine to resume services, and apply for permanent permission. Payment of Property Tax doesn’t make towers legal, Ramteke said and added that Reliance and BSNL have applied for regularization of towers. Nagpur Municipal Corporation took action on Airtel, Bharti Cellular, Hutch/Vodafone and Idea Cellular and Tata Indicom Cellular. Zone-wise towers that were affected are: Laxminagar, Hanuman Nagar, Dhantoli, Nehru Nagar, Lakadganj, Ashi Nagar, Mangalwari (5 each); Dharampeth (2); Gandhibagh (6); Satranjipura (3).
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Nagpur Octroi Deptt. Sets eyes on banks:
The Octroi Department of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has tighten its gripped on private and nationalized banks including Reserve Bank of India (RBI), which import gold to the city without paying Octroi cess.
The Octroi Department has sought information from these banks within seven days after receiving notices. Nagpur Municipal Corporation has levied 1 perecnt Octroi cess on gold brought to the city.
It may be mentioned that last year, the department had recovered Rs 7.5 lakh from State Bank of India (SBI) for bringing gold of worth Rs 7.5 crore, to the city. Sources claimed that banks are importing gold worth Rs 50 to 60 crore per annum, to the city from outside the country for selling in the form of coins. The 22 and 24 carat coins are available at these banks.
Milind Meshram, Assistant Commissioner and Octroi Superintendent, confirmed that the department has issued notices to Punjab National Bank, Bank of Baroda, Bank of Maharashtra, ICICI Bank, YES Bank HDFC Bank and Axis Bank, for disclosing their gold import and receipt of tax deposited to the Octroi Department.
The department has issued notice to Reserve Bank of India, as maximum gold imported by it.It may be added that the civic body is levying Octroi cess on Maximum Retail Price (MRP) on goods and recovering cess from banks will be increased revenue of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation.
The Octroi Department has sought information from these banks within seven days after receiving notices. Nagpur Municipal Corporation has levied 1 perecnt Octroi cess on gold brought to the city.
It may be mentioned that last year, the department had recovered Rs 7.5 lakh from State Bank of India (SBI) for bringing gold of worth Rs 7.5 crore, to the city. Sources claimed that banks are importing gold worth Rs 50 to 60 crore per annum, to the city from outside the country for selling in the form of coins. The 22 and 24 carat coins are available at these banks.
Milind Meshram, Assistant Commissioner and Octroi Superintendent, confirmed that the department has issued notices to Punjab National Bank, Bank of Baroda, Bank of Maharashtra, ICICI Bank, YES Bank HDFC Bank and Axis Bank, for disclosing their gold import and receipt of tax deposited to the Octroi Department.
The department has issued notice to Reserve Bank of India, as maximum gold imported by it.It may be added that the civic body is levying Octroi cess on Maximum Retail Price (MRP) on goods and recovering cess from banks will be increased revenue of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation.
Nagpur Collector agrees to handover open land at Bezonbagh to NMC:
With the consent of Nagpur Collector, Pravin Darade, who was personally present during hearing of the writ petition in public interest filed by Atmaram Ukey and four other social workers, all residents of Bezonbagh area, Justice A P Lavande and Justice P D Kode, at the High Court here, have directed the authorities to hand over the open spaces reserved for garden, dispensary, public utilities, construction of multistoried buildings for the economically backward classes, in the erstwhile Empress Mill and now the Bezonbagh land within the city corporation limits, to the Nagpur municipal Corporation within 4 weeks, after removing encroachments on those lands, if necessary with police help.
Filing a civil application in their petition, these citizens have drawn the Court’s attentions to such lands disappearing at a fast pace due to encroachments and authorities turning Nelson’s eye to the same, as they have failed to implement the Court’s interim directions of December 19 issued by the Division Bench consisting of Justice B H Marlapalle and Justice Ambadas Joshi. The court had directed compliance of these directions by January 31, 2009. According to the petitioners. Total area is about 3,67,978 sq. meters and out of it required open space comes to 73,595 sq. meters. Due to massive encroachment, open space allegedly stands reduced to 14,660 sq. meters, that is only 1/5th of the required open space. The Court had directed survey of encroachments by anyone including the petitioners, within 4 weeks. Survey was also meant to touch the aspect of required open space. The Court has directed further hearing of petition on Sep 30, to get updated with subsequent developments in the case. Adv Firdos Mirza appeared for petitioners. Addl. GP Bharati Dangre and Adv S K Mishra.
Filing a civil application in their petition, these citizens have drawn the Court’s attentions to such lands disappearing at a fast pace due to encroachments and authorities turning Nelson’s eye to the same, as they have failed to implement the Court’s interim directions of December 19 issued by the Division Bench consisting of Justice B H Marlapalle and Justice Ambadas Joshi. The court had directed compliance of these directions by January 31, 2009. According to the petitioners. Total area is about 3,67,978 sq. meters and out of it required open space comes to 73,595 sq. meters. Due to massive encroachment, open space allegedly stands reduced to 14,660 sq. meters, that is only 1/5th of the required open space. The Court had directed survey of encroachments by anyone including the petitioners, within 4 weeks. Survey was also meant to touch the aspect of required open space. The Court has directed further hearing of petition on Sep 30, to get updated with subsequent developments in the case. Adv Firdos Mirza appeared for petitioners. Addl. GP Bharati Dangre and Adv S K Mishra.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Nagpur Municipal Corporation starts categorization of water
Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s Water Works Department has started categorization of water consumers to ensure bills as per consumption.
Currently, Water Works Department is having 1,64,302 consumers. There are three categories of consumers including residential, Government institutions, and commercial. There was confusion about residential category. The consumer using water for only residence purpose falls under residential category. But there are many buildings or flat schemes where shops or commercial establishments and residences co-exist. According to Nagpur Municipal Corporation officials out of total flat schemes in the city, as many as 10 per cent are having commercial establishments also. These include private clinics, consulting chambers, small banks, offices etc. These type of consumers were also charged as per residential tariff as the entire building or flat scheme was having only one water connection.
Similarly, there was also confusion in commercial category. The consumers who were using water as raw material such as water bottling plants, ice factories, soft drink bottling plants, beverage industries, artificial juice plant, pharmaceutical industries, amusement parks, and water parks, were charged commercial tariff along with commercial establishments like hotels, private hospitals, educational institutions, banks, offices etc.
Nagpur Water Works Department had rationalized water tariff. The categories were increased to 5 including residential, and semi-residential instead of erstwhile residential; commercial-I, and commercial-II instead of erstwhile commercial. Government institutions category-institutional was kept as it is. The State Government approved the regularization of water tariff in April. After approval, the department started charging the rates as per commercial tariff to the entire building or flats having commercial establishments as the entire building or flats having commercial establishments as the entire building or flat scheme was having one connection. The residences located in those buildings or flats were also required to shell more money as the semi-residential tariff was higher than residential tariff. As per revised tariff, the residential tariff for 8 to 15 units is Rs 8 per unit, and the semi-residential tariff for upto 15 units is Rs 13.
The Nagpur Water Works Department started receiving large number of complaints regarding high water bills in July and August as the bills for three months including April, May and June were issued in this manner. Considering this, the issuing of water bills was stopped. First, the department conducted a survey of commercial consumers. According to survey, the Nagpur Water Works Department categorized the consumers of commercial category into commercial-I and commercial-II as per usage. Due to single connection, the categorization was easy. After this, the department started issuing the bills to commercial-I and commercial-II consumers in August.
Now, the categorization of residential category into residential and semi-residential has been started. Under this, the authorities have started inspecting the buildings or flat schemes. The buildings or flat schemes where there are only residences have been categorized in residential category and the department has started issuing water bills to these consumers. Where there are both commercial establishments and residences, the department has started survey. After survey, the commercial establishments will be given separate connection and meter. Then the bills for three months- April, May and June will be issued. It is expected that the entire categorization will take atleast one month. Nagpur WWD officials hope that their revenue will definitely increase with this categorization.
Currently, Water Works Department is having 1,64,302 consumers. There are three categories of consumers including residential, Government institutions, and commercial. There was confusion about residential category. The consumer using water for only residence purpose falls under residential category. But there are many buildings or flat schemes where shops or commercial establishments and residences co-exist. According to Nagpur Municipal Corporation officials out of total flat schemes in the city, as many as 10 per cent are having commercial establishments also. These include private clinics, consulting chambers, small banks, offices etc. These type of consumers were also charged as per residential tariff as the entire building or flat scheme was having only one water connection.
Similarly, there was also confusion in commercial category. The consumers who were using water as raw material such as water bottling plants, ice factories, soft drink bottling plants, beverage industries, artificial juice plant, pharmaceutical industries, amusement parks, and water parks, were charged commercial tariff along with commercial establishments like hotels, private hospitals, educational institutions, banks, offices etc.
Nagpur Water Works Department had rationalized water tariff. The categories were increased to 5 including residential, and semi-residential instead of erstwhile residential; commercial-I, and commercial-II instead of erstwhile commercial. Government institutions category-institutional was kept as it is. The State Government approved the regularization of water tariff in April. After approval, the department started charging the rates as per commercial tariff to the entire building or flats having commercial establishments as the entire building or flats having commercial establishments as the entire building or flat scheme was having one connection. The residences located in those buildings or flats were also required to shell more money as the semi-residential tariff was higher than residential tariff. As per revised tariff, the residential tariff for 8 to 15 units is Rs 8 per unit, and the semi-residential tariff for upto 15 units is Rs 13.
The Nagpur Water Works Department started receiving large number of complaints regarding high water bills in July and August as the bills for three months including April, May and June were issued in this manner. Considering this, the issuing of water bills was stopped. First, the department conducted a survey of commercial consumers. According to survey, the Nagpur Water Works Department categorized the consumers of commercial category into commercial-I and commercial-II as per usage. Due to single connection, the categorization was easy. After this, the department started issuing the bills to commercial-I and commercial-II consumers in August.
Now, the categorization of residential category into residential and semi-residential has been started. Under this, the authorities have started inspecting the buildings or flat schemes. The buildings or flat schemes where there are only residences have been categorized in residential category and the department has started issuing water bills to these consumers. Where there are both commercial establishments and residences, the department has started survey. After survey, the commercial establishments will be given separate connection and meter. Then the bills for three months- April, May and June will be issued. It is expected that the entire categorization will take atleast one month. Nagpur WWD officials hope that their revenue will definitely increase with this categorization.
Nagpur Municipal Corporation reduces tax on hoardings
Nagpur Municipal Corporation has reduced tax on advertising hoardings, posters and banners right before ensuing Assembly elections. It came as a shocker if considered the increase in property tax, and water tax that had great impact on common man.
Nagpur Municipal Corporation has increased the base rate, and water tax to increase its revenue. It had directly affected the local people. Now, Nagpur Municipal Corporation has reduced the tax on advertising hoardings, posters and banners right before Assembly elections. NMC would have earned good revenue if continued or increase the tax as candidates and political parties erect large number of advertising hoardings, posters and banners during elections. Increase in taxes of common man and reduction in taxes of politicians, this is what came as a shocker to common man.
Though the decision was taken by Nagpur Municipal Corporation before implementation of Code of Conduct, the matter came to fore when the civic body submitted a copy of this to District Administration in the meeting organized to fix the schedule of rates for Assembly elections. Accordingly, the District Administration has reduced the schedule of rates of advertising hoardings, posters and banners. Besides, the District Administration has kept as it is the rates of other items, like hiring vehicles, amplifiers, speakers, food items and other items issued during elections.
Earlier, Nagpur Municipal Corporation use to charge tax on advertising hoardings, posters and banners in three categories including Grade-A, B and C. Nagpur Municipal Corporation use to charge Rs 28 per sq. mt for Grade-A, Rs 21 per sq. mt for Grade-B, and Rs 14 sq.mt for Grade-C. Now, NMC has cancelled all Grades and made it only one grade and fixed charge as Rs 17.50 per sq.mt.
Nagpur Municipal Corporation has increased the base rate, and water tax to increase its revenue. It had directly affected the local people. Now, Nagpur Municipal Corporation has reduced the tax on advertising hoardings, posters and banners right before Assembly elections. NMC would have earned good revenue if continued or increase the tax as candidates and political parties erect large number of advertising hoardings, posters and banners during elections. Increase in taxes of common man and reduction in taxes of politicians, this is what came as a shocker to common man.
Though the decision was taken by Nagpur Municipal Corporation before implementation of Code of Conduct, the matter came to fore when the civic body submitted a copy of this to District Administration in the meeting organized to fix the schedule of rates for Assembly elections. Accordingly, the District Administration has reduced the schedule of rates of advertising hoardings, posters and banners. Besides, the District Administration has kept as it is the rates of other items, like hiring vehicles, amplifiers, speakers, food items and other items issued during elections.
Earlier, Nagpur Municipal Corporation use to charge tax on advertising hoardings, posters and banners in three categories including Grade-A, B and C. Nagpur Municipal Corporation use to charge Rs 28 per sq. mt for Grade-A, Rs 21 per sq. mt for Grade-B, and Rs 14 sq.mt for Grade-C. Now, NMC has cancelled all Grades and made it only one grade and fixed charge as Rs 17.50 per sq.mt.
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