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Rs. 700-crore unutilised: councillor

Tuesday, 30 June 2009 07:46 administrator
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Source : The Hindu Date : 30.06.2009

Rs. 700-crore unutilised: councillor

Staff Reporter

Proposed bus service may become a burden on the corporation, says UDF leader

KOCHI: The approach of the corporation councillors to the budget presented by Deputy Mayor C.K. Manisankar in the council on Saturday was divided along the political lines.

While the LDF members hailed it, the UDF members termed it as unimaginative and repetitive in nature in the discussion that was held on Monday.

Taking part in the discussion, Town Planning Standing Committee chairman E.M. Sunilkumar said traffic snarls in the city would become a thing of the past once the proposed Goshree-Chathyath-Mamangalam and Pachalam Rail Overbridges were completed.

The work on these projects is expected to begin this year itself.He also supported the budget decision to allot funds for the emergency road repair system and planting saplings in the city.

A.B. Sabu, leader of the UDF in the council, said the civic authorities were sitting on the Rs. 700 crore allotted to the corporation by the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.

While most of the States have utilised the major chunk of the funds allotted to them, the city was yet to fully spend the first instalment of the financial aid.

The corporation should thank the mission authorities for providing enough monetary support for its projects.

The support of the agency was visible in the enhanced revenue of the corporation as shown in the budget, he said. He also feared that the proposed bus service would eventually become a burden for the corporation. P.S. Viju of the CPI (M) congratulated the civic administration on addressing the garbage issue in the city. Johnson Master of the Congress criticised the budget as an unrealistic one.

The Deputy Mayor announced that the division allotment for carrying out various projects would be hiked to Rs. 25 lakh from Rs. 20 lakh, considering the request of a large number of councillors. Thirty-five members, including Standing Committee chairpersons, took part in the discussion. The budget was passed after the discussions.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 30 June 2009 07:48
 

City projects at take-off stage: Deputy Mayor

Tuesday, 30 June 2009 07:42 administrator
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Source : The Hindu Date : 30.06.2009

City projects at take-off stage: Deputy Mayor

Staff Reporter

Corporation to focus on transport, water supply and sewage treatment

Tender papers of overbridges at Pachalam, Atlantis being prepared

Widening of the Sahodaran Ayyappan road has started at Panampilly Nagar

KOCHI: A large number of development projects in Kochi have reached the implementation stage, indicating that the city is making a significant step towards development, said Deputy Mayor C.K. Manisankar on Monday.

Replying to the budget discussion in the corporation council on Monday, Mr. Manisankar claimed that many of the development dreams of the corporation were being translated into reality in a never-before manner. According to him, the civic administration would focus on the transport, sewage treatment and water supply sectors in the coming days.

The tender documents of the Rail Overbridges at Pachalam and Atlantis were being prepared. The re-tendering process for the proposed Pazhoor drinking water scheme was progressing. It is also the case with the pump house of the project. The re-tendering was required as the amount quoted for the work was in excess of the tender amount and the contractor was not willing to implement the work on the earlier quoted amount, Mr. Manisankar said.

The tendering process for the Rs. 291-crore sewage treatment plant has been completed. The corporation has spent nearly 80 per cent of the funds allotted for the Basic Services for Urban Poor project. The corporation has received Rs. 26.54 crore for the project, he said.

The widening and modernisation projects suggested for Sahodaran Ayyappan road has started at Panampilly Nagar. The construction of pile caps for Puthenpalam near Vytilla on SA road has also commenced, he said.

Mr. Manisankar said the full credit for freeing the city of garbage heaps should go to the corporation council which implemented the solid waste treatment plant at Brahmapuram.

The civic administrators, including the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and the chairpersons of various Standing Committees of the corporation were frequently visiting the plant site and following up the developments there.

The functioning of the plant is monitored in a systematic manner, he said.

He was hopeful that the implementation of a large number of projects would begin during the current fiscal itself.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 30 June 2009 07:46
 

New plan for water conservation

Tuesday, 30 June 2009 07:38 administrator
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Source : The Hindu Date : 30.06.2009

New plan for water conservation

Special Correspondent

Project will cover all Assembly segments in State: Minister

 

Project aimed at tackling water shortage KWA to have three divisions from July 1

Thiruvananthapuram: Water Resources Minister N.K. Premachandran on Monday announced a water conservation project for all the 140 Assembly constituency in the State.

It is intended to tackle water shortage in the State. Replying to a debate on the demand for grants for his department in the Assembly on Monday, the Minister said the programme would lay emphasis on tackling pollution of water resources, maintaining the quality of water and preventing over-exploitation.

He proposed an awareness programme and a plan of action to achieve the objectives. A meeting of legislators and local body representatives will be held on July 3 to work out the modalities of the programme.

KWA revamp

Mr. Premachandran said the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) would be divided into projects, supply and maintenance divisions as part of a revamp.

The new divisions would come into being on July 1. The projects division would deal with the conception and execution of drinking water projects.

He said the Rs.850-crore Special Project Assisted by Nabard (SPAN), spread over 36 drinking water schemes, was the government’s flagship project in the water resources sector.

Out of the 91 packages under SPAN, benefiting 27 lakh people, 48 had been approved and the rest would be re-tendered. Admitting to delays, the Minister said he was in consultation with the PWD and Finance Ministers to reform the manuals and codes concerned to expedite the tendering process.

The Minister presented an update of various projects, their revised commission dates and the present status. With regard to the JBIC scheme, rechristened JICA, local bodies had been entrusted with the task of restoring the roads that had been dug up.

Under the agreement, it was the responsibility of the contractor to complete the restoration work, but this had been amended owing to work-related complaints.

He was expecting a Rs.1,000-crore World Bank scheme for Jalanidhi.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 30 June 2009 07:42
 
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