The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : JNNURM projects: UDF stages protest in council

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Thursday, Mar 22, 2007
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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

JNNURM projects: UDF stages protest in council

Special Correspondent

Calls for a probe into the failure to get the project reports cleared

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) staged a vociferous protest in the City Corporation Council hall on Wednesday against the Mayor's decision to curtail the debate on an adjournment motion calling for a probe into the failure to get the project reports for the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) cleared by the Centre.

The UDF members walked into the well of the hall and shouted slogans alleging laxity and corruption in project formulation. The protest, which erupted midway through the meeting, continued till the end of the session.

Moving the adjournment motion, Poundukadavu ward councillor Veli Varghese said the project reports were prepared without following the prescribed standards. His remarks on corruption sparked loud protests from the Left Democratic Front (LDF) benches. Intervening, Mayor C. Jayan Babu explained that the Centre had only sought a revision of the project reports and had not rejected them.

However, LDF members demanded that Mr.Varghese withdraw his comments. The Mayor's assurance that the remarks would be expunged from the records failed to pacify them.

Deputy Mayor V. Jayaprakash said the Corporation had saved a huge amount as consultancy fees by appointing a panel of experts to prepare the detailed project reports.

Mr. Jayan Babu concluded the discussion by adding that there was no technical objection to the project reports. "There is no cause for concern," he said.

The UDF members were on their feet with the demand for an extended discussion. Despite repeated pleas for calm, the Opposition remained adamant on their stand. They moved to the well of the hall and squatted there, shouting slogans even as the council continued with the day's agenda.

Desilting demanded

Earlier, the council adopted an adjournment motion urging the Government for a coordinated action plan to desilt the downstream stretches of the polluted Parvathy Puthanar canal near the mouth of the Karamana river at Edayar.

Moving the motion, chairman of the Health standing committee G.R.Anil said heavy siltation of the canal had obstructed the flow around the Edayar island, blocking the river mouth. This, he said, was responsible for the pollution of the river.

Mr.Anil said thousands of families in the Poonthura, Vellar, Thiruvallam, Pachalloor and Manikyavilakam wards were exposed to health hazards caused by the pollution. He said medical reports had confirmed the high incidence of pollution-induced diseases among children in these wards.

The resolution called for urgent measures to desilt the Parvathy Puthanar canal along a 1.5 km stretch at Cheriyamuttam, Poonthura. It also demanded steps to construct a sea wall and breakwater for fisherfolk to go out to sea.

The Puthenpally councillor Salim said the sidewalls of the canal were crumbling at many places because of the unauthorised dredging of sand. Thiruvallam councillor M.P.Lalitha Bai pointed out that the Revenue department had sanctioned tsunami funds to desilt and restore the flow in the canal.

Beemapally councillor Rashid observed that the funds earmarked for restoring the canal were disproportionate to the amount spent on cleaning up the core wards in the city.

The meeting adopted another resolution calling on the Government to address the problems caused by unchecked construction of multi- storied buildings in the city. Moving the resolution, Vazhuthacaud councillor Rakhi Ravindran said the growth of flats were largely responsible for the water scarcity in the city.

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