The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Visakhapatnam News : Mayor promises drinking water to all slums

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Tuesday, Feb 01, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam

Mayor promises drinking water to all slums

By Our Staff Reporter

VISAKHAPATNAM, JAN. 31. The Mayor, Rajana Ramani, on Monday said that municipal tap connection would be given to all the slum-dwellers on payment of Rs. 1,200 in 12 equated monthly instalments (EMI).

She was speaking at meetings conducted in connection with the commissioning of two Ground Level Service Reservoirs (GLSR) in Alluri Seetharama Raju Nagar (26th ward) and Simhadripuram hill-slope (25th ward).

Work launched

Earlier, she launched the construction work on a 500 kilolitre-GLSR on Venkojipalem hill-slope. All these works involved an expenditure of Rs. 2.10 crores.

Ms. Ramani said that for all white card holders, they would sanction municipal tap on initial payment of Rs. 100. The balance amount could be paid on an EMI of Rs. 100.

With the arrival of the Godavari waters, the citizens could get drinking water round the clock, she said and added that a 60-feet road would be laid after finalisation of tenders in the area behind Port Stadium at a cost of Rs. 23 lakhs.

Referring to the demand for basic amenities in areas where tax was being collected by the gram panchayats, she said that the Municipal Council had already forwarded a resolution to the Government to merge these areas with the VMC. "We can provide all the amenities only when the areas like in question are merged with the VMC,'' she stated.

Connection charges

The VMC had already spent Rs. 20 crores on underground drainage project and asked the residents, including slum-dwellers, to come forward to pay connection charges.

The Visakha-II MLA, S. Rangaraju, said that the developmental works should be pursued above party politics. He told a meeting held at Simhadripuram hill-slopes that political affiliations should end with the announcement of results in an election.

Pointing at the Deputy Mayor and the Telugu Desam Party leader, Malla Appala Raju, Mr. Rangaraju said that there was no point in demanding house sites for those who built houses on the hilltop.

As per the policy pursued by the Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, pucca houses would be given to all the eligible persons.

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