The Hindu       29.03.2017  

Thrikkakara budget focusses on water supply, waste disposal

Rs. 6 crore for waste management system; drinking water sources to be cleaned up

Drinking water supply and a permanent facility for waste disposal have been given major allocations in the Rs. 139-crore Thrikkakara municipal budget for 2017-18 presented by vice chairman Sabu Francis here on Tuesday. The municipality expects a total revenue of Rs. 153 crore, including Rs. 16 crore carried forward from last year, and a surplus of Rs. 13 crore.

The budget has allocated a total of Rs. 6 crore for a permanent waste management system. Of this, Rs. 3 crore has been allocated for activities like banning of plastic materials, generating alternatives to plastic bags through women’s organisations and other activities, which will mitigate the problem of waste management. The budget said that a waste treatment facility was on the anvil for which another Rs. 3 crore had been allocated. The money will go into building the first phase of the treatment plant.

The budget has set aside Rs. 10 lakh for providing social security health cover for workers involved in waste disposal in the municipal area. Another Rs. 1 lakh has been earmarked for providing workers with gloves, boots, etc. The budget has also focussed on providing drinking water to all the wards in the municipality. A total of Rs. 1 crore has been allocated for cleaning up of drinking water sources that are now lying unutilised. Maintenance of rainwater harvesting facilities and cleaning up of wells are also part of the programme. Considering that there are wards in the municipality that face acute shortage of water, the municipal budget has allocated Rs. 1crore for buying a tanker lorry, for a water purification facility and supplying water to the wards that face chronic water shortage. The budget has also provided Rs. 1.5 crore for a water treatment plant for the Thengode-Manakkakadavu drinking water project. Besides, Rs. 50 lakh has been earmarked for a project to collect water from the Kadambrayar, treating it and supplying it in the municipal area.

Activities to ensure the safety of women and children have been allocated Rs. 2 lakh and further Rs. 2 lakh has been allocated for training women in self-defence. The budget has also set aside Rs. 1 crore for setting up solar panels in all municipal buildings. As part of a campaign to become more nature-friendly, the budget has also set aside Rs. 25 lakh for a rainwater harvesting project.