In a major drive against encroachments conducted at the wholesale vegetable market near Maatuthavani, Corporation officials from the Town and Country Planning wing evicted as many as 30 shops, which had been set up encroaching the walkway.
Commissioner S. Aneesh Sekhar had directed the officials to conduct inspection following complaints on encroachments from public and market users.
Special teams led by Assistant Commissioners Rangarajan, Arasu, Kousalambigai and Palanisamy conducted the inspection. The encroachers were warned of legal action. The vegetables were seized from them and later distributed to old age homes and special homes for children with disabilities and orphanages in the city.
The Commissioner has directed the supervisors to keep a tab on all violators and wanted them to discourage encroachers in the initial stage itself, officials said.
A press release said that Dr. Aneesh Sekhar, who inspected the public toilets in Periyar bus stand and Arapalayam on Wednesday, checked the facilities himself. He also directed the contractors to keep the premises clean.
The Commissioner wanted the rental arrears to be collected from shops let out at the earliest besides ensuring that there was no delay in revenue collection to the Corporation.
During inspection, the Commissioner also found the improper upkeep of bus stop shelters in many locations.
He wanted them to be repaired and replaced, wherever required.
Soon after taking charge recently, he had assured to visit all key places, including urban PHCs and maternity homes run by the Corporation. When he visited the Devasagayam Maternity Hospital, he interacted with some of the pregnant mothers enquiring about the facilities and also checked staff availability.
The Corporation had launched waste segregation campaign in the city on the World Environment Day. By collecting biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste separately, it will help in disposal of waste with ease at the Vellakal and Sakkimangalam dumpyard. Moreover, waste segregation was mandatory as the city had been selected for the Smart Cities Project, .
Dr. Aneesh Sekhar had proposed, at a meeting held at Anna Maaligai with health wing officials, to utilise the services of NSS volunteers from colleges to campaign about waste segregation among residents.
As a first step, the Corporation health officials had installed separate dumper bins for collecting plastic waste and others. A campaign would be held on June 17 at various locations to draw the attention of the residents. Every Wednesday, plastic waste would be collected and other wastes would be collected on other days, the release added.