Online pet registration system introduced by the GCC
An online pet animal registration system was introduced by the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) to issue pet licences for pet dogs and cats in Chennai. This system aims to register 40,000 dogs and 20,000 cats. It will also be expanded to cover birds and other pets owned by people.
To get a pet licence from GCC, the pet animal has to be vaccinated against rabies, inform officials. Pet owners have been asked to make use of the GCC’s veterinary clinics to vaccinate the animals from 8 am to 3 pm.
Other guidelines have also been introduced for pet owners to get a pet licence. Breeding control and proper waste disposal must be ensured. Moreover, the pet animals must not cause any disturbance in the neighbourhood.
The licence is valid for one year after which the pet owners have to renew it. The registration fee to get the pet licence is Rs 50.
Pet owners can register their pets online here: https://bit.ly/3MV1Kbf
Source: The Hindu
Read more: Pets in Chennai: How a welfare association is addressing key community concerns
MTC to introduce EV buses in Chennai in three years
From 2026, Metropolitan Transport Corporation aims to bring electric buses to the city. Additionally, the transport body is also looking at converting diesel run-buses into CNG-run buses. This initiative is to turn to clean fuel technology, as per the directions of Niti Aayog.
This project is part of the Chennai City Partnership — Urban Mobility and Spatial Development, funded by the World Bank. The project costs $572 million.
Phase 1 of the project involves buying 500 electric buses. Additionally, MTC plans to swap 100 diesel buses for electric buses.
Source: The New Indian Express
Roads dug up for many civic projects not laid properly
In March 2023, GCC started relaying over 500 roads dug up for various civic works. But the relaying has not covered many key areas.
Road relaying projects have not been begun in Mogappair, Ramapuram, Porur, Valasaravakkam and Madipakkam where roads have been dug up for Metro Water and stormwater drain work.
The cause for the delay in relaying roads involved a stagnant tendering process- 33 out of the 500 road project tenders were yet to be opened, as per the state government’s website. Those projects have been paused.
Officials say that they are taking extra care for contractors to not abandon road projects, resulting in the process taking more time. Contractors have abandoned the projects without completing them earlier this year.
Residents criticise the delay in relaying roads, with fear that it will affect them during the monsoon. The public urged the civic body to complete the road works within the summer.
Source: The Times of India
Read more: What it took to relay a road in Chennai’s Tondiarpet
Alandur residents protest frequent power cuts
Due to frequent power cuts at night for 20 days, 100 residents of Alandue protested near the Electricity Board (EB) office. They even slept outside the office, insisting that they would not leave until the power outage issue was addressed.
EB officials stated that the reason for the outage has been that the transformers have been unable to bear the increased electrical load. The officials assured the residents that the transformers will be replaced within three days.
Source: DT Next
1500 new streetlights on the cards for Chennai
Under the Nirbhaya funds, GCC has plans to set up 1500 new street lights in Chennai to ensure road safety, especially for women. Rs. 50 crores under the Nirbhaya fund are to be used for setting up new streetlights.
Many interior roads do not have streetlight connections, especially after the underground stormwater drain work and other civic projects. GCC officials claim that the streetlight connection will be provided as soon as the civic work is completed.
GCC has earmarked new areas and dark spots as pointed out by the Greater Chennai Police. Previously, apart from installing more than 10,800 streetlights, many poles that were rusted were also replaced.
Source: DT Next
[Compiled by Padmaja Jayaraman]