Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Garbage plant to restart operations

Staff Reporter

Government to release Rs.42 lakhs

Staff Reporter

Thiruvananthapuram: The crisis following the suspension of operations at the City Corporation's garbage treatment plant at Vilappilsala was resolved on Friday after the Government promised to release an amount of Rs.42 lakhs to keep the project running. The plant is to resume operations on Saturday.

An all-party delegation led by Mayor C. Jayan Babu met Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and apprised him of the crisis created by the Government Order directing the Corporation to foot the burden of a revival package of Rs.2.87 crores for the project. They told him that the order violated the Cabinet Sub Committee decision on Government assistance to bail out the loss-making unit. Following the briefing, the Chief Minister talked to the Local Administration Secretary and the Finance Minister on the phone.

The delegation later met Finance Minister Vakkom Purushothaman to seek the release of funds. The Minister pointed out that the financial position of the Government would not permit it to bear the liability. The Mayor and his team explained that any disruption in the functioning of the treatment plant would lead to a crisis.

The Minister relented and agreed to release an amount of Rs.42 lakhs on Friday to resume operations at the plant. He said the remaining amount would be sanctioned after analysing the situation.

The delegation included Deputy Mayor V. Jayaprakash, UDF parliamentary party leader Johnson Joseph, the chairman of the Health standing committee G.R. Anil, Janata Dal leader P. Harikumar and DIC(K) leader K. Maheswaran Nair. Corporation Secretary T.K. Raveendran also accompanied the team.

The Mayor later summoned representatives from the Poabs Group and directed them to resume the functioning of the plant. He said the company had agreed to restart operations from Saturday. Jayan Babu said health officials had been directed to monitor the situation and ensure that there is no garbage accumulation.

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