The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Road maintenance to be completed soon: Minister

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 08, 2007
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Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Road maintenance to be completed soon: Minister

Staff Reporter

Time to find a lasting solution to flooding, he says

— Photo: S. Mahinsha

With them: Public Works Minister Mons Joseph presenting a trophy to students of the Nirmala Bhavan Nursery school who came first in the Children’s day cultural fest - 2007, in the city on Wednesday.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The maintenance of city roads will be completed at the earliest, Minister for Public Works Mons Joseph has said. He was speaking after giving away prizes to the winners of various competitions organised by the Kerala State Council for Child Welfare in connection with Children’s festival, which concluded in the city on Wednesday.

“I am entrusted with a huge responsibility. So, I should speak less and act more,” he told the children and parents assembled at the hall of the council.

“It is time we find a permanent and long-lasting solution to the recurring flooding of low-lying areas in the capital city,” the Minister said. Recalling his college days, Mr. Joseph narrated his experience as a student who enthusiastically took part in various elocution competitions. “Taking part in debate and elocution contests were the only option available to us those days to make some quick money,” he said referring to the cash prize awarded for various events. “In fact I even made it a point to scan all the leading newspapers on a daily basis looking for some competition or the other,” said Mr. Joseph.

The Public Works Minister, however, was of the view that the pervasive influence of commercialisation was also seeping into the competitive arena. “Competition today has become unhealthy with festival venues turning into a battle ground of litigations,” he said.

Over 1000 children from 500 educational institutions took part in the competitions. There were a total of 77 events. While Carmel Girls High School emerged as the overall champions, Holy Angles Convent School bagged the second position. Nirmala Bhavan Higher Secondary School won the first prize in the nursery section. A. Krishnan, general secretary of the council presided over the function.

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