KMC to start digital survey of hawker zones in wards

Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is all set to launch a digital survey to map hawking zones in wards while also forming a committee for survey of tanneries in the city.

The second round of hawker survey has already been initiated but at the same time a digital survey will kick off from Thursday mapping areas in every ward. About 560 KMC workers are being engaged for the task. Following the Town Vending Committee meeting on Wednesday, a report will be sent to Nabanna for a decision.

For the ward-wise survey, consultations with borough executives were done by the municipal secretary.

It was directed that the task needs to be completed within seven days. Debashish Kumar, member mayor in council (MMIC) in charge of the hawker rehabilitation task, is learnt to have said that the report of the first round of survey has been sent to Nabanna. The second round will be completed in the next two to three days while the digital survey of hawking zones in roads and alleys in wards will also be completed in a week. This will provide a wide picture of the hawker situation in the city, he said.

Meanwhile, a meeting was convened at KMC headquarters on Wednesday in the presence of police and state pollution control board authorities. It was decided that a survey will be launched to map tanneries located in areas such as Park Circus,

Tiljala and Topsia.

A committee has been formed comprising officials of KMC, pollution control board and the police. The decision was taken on the basis of a Supreme Court order which had directed removal of tanneries from the heart of the city. Most tanneries were rehabilitated to Bantola. The mayor Firhad Hakim, however, is learnt to have received complaints of illegal tannery functioning in the city. The mayor had ordered the KMC environment department to conduct an inspection.

The report of this survey is expected to be submitted to KMC in a month and accordingly, action will be taken.