The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Scheme for development of slum colonies

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Scheme for development of slum colonies

Special Correspondent

Corporation takes up Rs.20-lakh project for four colonies in the city

The work to be
subjected to
social audit
ADB to provide
80 per cent of
the assistance

Thiruvananthapuram: Residents in four slum colonies in the city will soon have access to safe drinking water and better roads and footpaths.

The City Corporation has taken up a Rs.20-lakh project for development of basic facilities in the colonies, namely Kattupuram colony in the Edavacode ward, Ambadi Nagar colony in Pongumoodu, Plavila-Attuvilakam colony in Thrikkannapuram and the Fishermen Colony in Sanghumukham ward.

First phase of scheme

The allocation covers the first phase of the Community Infrastructure Fund scheme under the Kerala Sustainable Urban Development Project (KSUDP) to be implemented with assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). An amount of Rs.45 crore has been earmarked for the scheme in the five municipal corporations.

The Community Infrastructure Fund is for creating facilities related to basic minimum needs and livelihood in slums.

The slums are short-listed on the basis of criteria like the number of families living in kutcha houses, Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes households, traditional fishermen families and the availability of piped drinking water, electricity connection and sanitation facilities. Additional criteria include the absence of drainage and internal pathways and water-logging.

Survey conducted

A detailed survey was carried out to identify the slums. The projects that can be taken up under the Community Infrastructure Fund include the construction of Anganwadis and equipping them with toys, utensils and other equipment, construction of storm-water drains, mini water supply schemes, extension or augmentation of pipes and electricity for households and streetlights. The scheme also covers construction of household or community latrines, solid waste management facilities, including biogas and work shed-cum-community hall for livelihood activities.

Rainwater harvesting and improvement of health sub-centre and public health centres frequented by the slum-dwellers also come under the scheme.

Technical sanction

Technical sanction for the works was issued by a technical advisory group of the corporation. The projects would be discussed with the beneficiaries before being finalised.

The works would be subjected to social audit. The details of people’s estimates and final payments would be displayed in the slum.

ADB assistance

While the ADB would provide 80 per cent of the assistance for the project, the State government would foot the rest.

According to S. Krishnakumar, Technical Officer, Project Implementation Unit (KSUDP), the Community Infrastructure Fund would cover all the slums in the city. “The works in the four wards have been tendered and it is expected to take off in a week or two. The objective is comprehensive development of slum colonies by filling the gaps in infrastructure facilities,” he said.

While the project in the Kattupuram colony covered water supply and development of roads, that in the Ambadi Nagar included road development and streetlights.

The work to be taken up in the Plavila slum was the restoration of a pond and construction of a rainwater harvesting system. Concrete road and footpath would be constructed in the fishermen colony at Sanghumukham.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Kerala