SWD desilted under TN Urban Employment plan

CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Corporation has removed more than 8,000 cubic metres of silt from the storm water drains in Tondiarpet and Thiru Vi Ka Nagar zones under Tamil Nadu Urban Employment Scheme.

According to Chennai Corporation data, a survey was conducted in 3 lakh households in the two zones and 54,010 job seekers were identified — 30,907 in Tondiarpet and 23,103 in Thiru Vi Ka Nagar.

The State government launched the scheme in the two zones on a pilot basis recently, aimed at improving livelihood and social security by boosting job opportunities and through creation and maintenance of public assets.

Of the identified job-seekers, job cards were issued to 47,284 persons, and by deploying them in desilting storm water drains, the civic body generated 18,173 man-days.

In total, the civic body removed 8,272.25 cubic meters of silt from stormwater drains in the two zones. Of the total silt removed, 4,410.14 cubic meters of silt were removed from the Tondiarpet zone. On Thursday, Chennai Corporation Commissioner Gagandeep Singh Bedi inspected the desilting works.