The Hindu 30.08.2009
Mayor orders removal of all unauthorised hoardings
Staff Reporter
| Council approves several road, overbridge works |
Councillors complain against apathy by officials
Council approves project to issue smart cards
KOCHI: Lack of support from the officials in removing unauthorised hoardings and advertisement boards in the city was once again the main topic of debate at the Corporation Council meeting on Saturday.
Cutting across political differences, councillors from both ruling and opposition fronts complained that the corporation suffered the loss of lakhs of rupees in income due to the improper issuing of contracts for setting up hoardings.
Officials also did not follow the accepted practice of publishing tender notices in leading dailies.
Following the discussions, Mayor Mercy Williams asked the Town Planning Officer to initiate steps to remove unauthorised hoardings in the city, including digital boards, immediately.
She also directed that the hoardings put up on PWD-owned roads be removed along with this.
Even after decisions are approved at the Council, officials fail to take follow-up action, she said.
The Council later decided to re-tender the contract for putting up hoardings and advertisement boards during 2009-10 and publish the tenders in national dailies.
It was also decided that the contract for setting up an incinerator of 100 kg capacity at the solid waste treatment plant at Brahmapuram would be given to Esco Furnaces.
Deputy Mayor C.K. Manisankar, A.B. Sabu, M. Anil Kumar, N. Venugopal, K.N. Sunil Kumar, and V.J. Hycinth participated in the discussions.
The Mayor presented the resolution saying that the Council approved granting of the works on the Goshree-Mamangalam Road, Pachalam railway overbridge, Thammanam-Pullepady Road, Ponnurunni railway overbridge and Atlantis railway overbridge – all being constructed under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission – as well as the Panampilly Nagar overbridge, Island-Kannangatt bridge, and Rajaji Road-Gandhi Nagar railway overbridge for which detailed project reports are being prepared – to the Kerala Road and Bridges Corporation.
The Council also approved the project to issue smart cards to those the below poverty line (BPL).
