The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Corporation defers Costford contract

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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Corporation defers Costford contract

Staff Reporter

For capping drain, leachate pump house

Constructions to be made at Vilappilsala treatment plant
Councillors demand discussion of the scheme in detail

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The city Corporation has deferred its proposal to renew the contract with Costford for constructing a capping drain and leachate pump house at the Vilappilsala garbage treatment plant for a revised estimate of Rs.2.23 crore.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Corporation council here on Friday where councillors demanded that this scheme be discussed in detail before awarding Costford a renewed contract.

For scrutiny

Mayor C. Jayan Babu later announced that the project would be handed over to the health standing committee for a detailed scrutiny and discussion.

It was in April 2007 that the Corporation entered into an agreement with Costford for the construction of a capping drain and a leachate pump house; the plan was to finish the work in eight months. An advance of Rs.49,84,400 was also given to the agency.

The Mayor told the council that the work could not be completed in time due to reasons beyond the control of either the Corporation or Costford.

Meeting held

It was decided at a meeting chaired by the Local Self-Government Minister on May 5, 2008, that the estimate be ‘closed’ by deeming that the agency did work worth Rs.43, 48,544 and that the balance amount of the advance given to the agency - Rs.6,36,068 - be recovered from it, the Mayor said and asked the permission of the council to re-award the contract to Costford.

This evoked a sharp protest from the former Deputy Mayor M. Sujanapriyan who charged the Mayor with getting huge sums of money cleared by the council in the name of various projects.

“It is not enough to say that there were reasons beyond everyone’s control in the case of such projects. There should be a detailed study on what happened,” he said.

Chairman of the Standing Committee on Health G.R. Anil pointed out that issues such as this cannot be handled in a frivolous manner.

Study sought

There needed to be a detailed study on why the work at Vilappilsala could not be completed on time, he said.

Plan okayed

The council also okayed a proposal submitted by the National Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies for setting up a five-tonne solid waste treatment plant in the city.

The Corporation should ensure the supply of water and electricity and make available the necessary land.

The capital cost and the operations and maintenance cost for the plant would be borne by the NIIS.

At the end of that period, the plant would be handed back to the Corporation.

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