Date:16/04/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/04/16/stories/2008041659390300.htm

Kerala - Kochi

Canals, drains to be cleaned

Staff Reporter

Shortage of hands for doing works

KOCHI: The special council meeting of the Corporation has decided to convene a meeting of all agencies concerned including the Railways, Kerala Water Authority and Public Works Department to prepare an action plan for cleaning up drains and canals ahead of the monsoon.

This step came in the light of the order issued by the Ministry for Local Self-Government to convene the meeting. It was directed to observe April 20 and 27 and May 4, 11 and 18 as ‘dry day’ and to complete pre-monsoon cleaning between May 5 and 15.

Additional funds of Rs. 7 lakh has been earmarked to complete the work, with Rs. 10,000 each for all the 70 divisions, said Mayor Mercy Williams.

The slaughter house at Kaloor has been completed on April 5 and is awaiting approval from the Kerala State Pollution Control Board for starting it. Funds will be identified from the plan fund for preparing project report for a slaughter house at Mattanchery, she said.

She was replying to the complaint raised by N. Venugopal about absence of a slaughter house in West Kochi and remains of slaughtered animals being dumped in canals and open grounds.

Councillor N. A. Mani alleged that even though the tender process has been completed for procuring fogging machines, lack of cooperation from officials has delayed the process. The project engineer replied that orders for fogging machines were placed with a Kolkatta-based company and the machines are expected to arrive on Wednesday.

Most of the councillors complained about shortage of hands to be employed in cleaning works and equipment. K.J. Basil, K.R. Premkumar, T.J. Vinod, K.N. Sunilkumar, V.K. Thankaraj, David Parambithara, C.K. Gopalan, K.G. Dineshan, Johnson, Syamala S. Prabhu and Lailamma George participated in the discussions.