New Indian Express, Oct. 19th 2002
Coimbatore,Oct 19: In an interesting development, the Coimbatore Municipal Corporation has decided to install global positioning satellite(GPS) equipment in four of its dumper placer lorries used for conservancy work on an experimental basis.
With this, the movement of these lorries could be tracked easily and accurately.There are allegations that drivers of the Corporation owned lorries used for removing the garbage indulge in manipulating the distance travelled
It is not alleged that sometimes even the number of trips undertaken by these lorries are also overstated.So, in a bid to stop this, the Corporation would put up GPS equipment in four of its 16 dumper placer lorries.
Corporation Commisioner D.Karthikeyan said that irregularities and manipulations can be avoided as the GPS equipment can track the entire route chart."The whole system is automatised and any deviation can be easily detected," he explained.
The GPS equipment will also track down the speed of the lorries and the time taken to transport the garbage from the wards to the Kavundampalayam compost yard.
"We do not know whether the driver takes the vehicle to the ward when clearing of garbage is being done," City Health Officer (CHO) Dr R Damodaran said.
Spot violations can also be easily found it the GPS equipment is installed in the lorries, he explained. Each GPS equipment will cost Rs.15,000 and it will be bought from a private party.A resolution to this effect was passed in the council meeting today
The resolution stated that the officials were finding it difficult to monitor the movement of these lorries.It also said that such a facility would help when the lorries break down or meet with some accident.
But some councillors criticised the move and stated that it would be a costly affair for the cash-strapped Corporation.
Doubts were raised about the bonafides of the company from whom the Corporation intends to purchase the equipment.
Some said that the equipment was normally used by big transport companies for tracking the movement of goods.
Considering all this it remains to be seen as to whether the Corporation's move will change things for the better.
