The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : Assembly panel directs local bodies to prepare master plan

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 29, 2004

Kerala

Kerala - Kochi

Assembly panel directs local bodies to prepare master plan

By Our Staff Reporter

KOCHI, SEPT. 28. The State Legislative Committee on Environment has directed the local bodies, including the Kochi Corporation and the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA), to prepare a master plan for implementing an effective drainage system in the Greater Kochi region.

The committee led by its chairman and MLA, George J. Mathew, made this recommendation at its sitting held at the District Collectorate here today.

Corporation pulled up

The Committee came down heavily on the Kochi Corporation for not initiating concrete steps for eradicating mosquito menace in the city.

It termed the existing drainage system within the Corporation areas as "primitive". The committee members observed that the Corporation had not made any progress in improving the system during the last several years.

It found that the absence of a proper drainage system has created a dangerous situation in the entire Greater Kochi region. The committee also pointed out that the poor drainage system in the region was responsible for the increasing mosquito population.

Water logging

The committee has directed the Corporation to utilise maximum funds available for improving the drainage system in the city. The chairman of the committee directed the Corporation Secretary to take steps to avoid water logging in vacant lands in the city.

The Committee has recommended the Corporation to collect fine from those who fail to take steps to preventing water logging in their land. The Committee has directed the local bodies to utilise the aerial survey data collected by the Land Use Board while drafting the master plan.

Mosquito eradication

The committee will convene a separate meeting of officials representing the GCDA, Kochi Corporation and the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) to chalk out a comprehensive plan for mosquito eradication in the Greater Kochi region.

Mr. Mathew said that the local bodies should seek advice from experts in the country to control the increasing mosquito population in the region.

He said that the committee would conduct a feasibility study before approving any proposal for improving the sewerage system in the region.

The committee made this observation in response to the KWA's suggestion that around Rs.1, 000 crores would be required to implement an efficient sewerage system in four zones in the city.

Waste disposal

The chairman of the committee suggested the Kochi Corporation could consider introducing the waste collection and disposal method being implemented by the Kozhikode Corporation.

The Member Secretary of the State Pollution Control Board (PCB), K.V. Indulal, who was present at the sitting, said that the local bodies could hand over the primary collection of solid waste to Kudumbasree units, as done in areas under the Kozhikode Corporation. The Kochi Corporation secretary said that a similar step has been initiated in two wards in West Kochi.

Public grievances

Earlier in the day, the committee heard complaints from the public regarding pollution problems in various parts of the Greater Kochi region. Members of the Carbon Malineekarana Virudha Samithi informed the committee that the PCB had failed to initiate any action against the Philips Carbon Black Company at Karimugal.

Based on the complaints raised by the local residents, the chairman of the committee directed the member secretary to submit a detailed action taken report within one week on the recommendations made by the committee in its report on the pollution caused by the company in Karimugal.

The chairman told the board officials that the committee would be forced to re-open the case if the PCB fails to take action on the recommendations.

The residents of Brahmapuram told the committee members that the Corporation move to establish a solid waste treatment plant in their area would cause severe environmental problems. The Chairman directed the Corporation authorities to initiate the project only after getting the consent of the PCB.

The Committee will hold regular sittings in Kochi to review the progress of steps taken by the local bodies in solid waste disposal and mosquito eradication. Other committee members who attended today's sitting include the MLAs, V.J. Poulose, Roshi Augustine and Ibrahim Kunju.

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