The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Hill highway: acquisition of land soon

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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Hill highway: acquisition of land soon

Special Correspondent

Natpac report in a month

Favourable response from financial institutions
Idukki, Wayanad to get priority in alignment

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Land acquisition for the proposed hill highway will be taken up within a month, Public Works Minister Mons Joseph has said.

Replying to questions in the Assembly on Friday, Mr. Joseph said the government would hold discussions with elected representatives and others concerned on getting the survey report of National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (Natpac) for the hill highway within a month.

It has been decided to hold discussions on the project after drawing up the alignment. Financial institutions have expressed willingness to invest in the project.

Priority would be given to Idukki and Wayanad districts while finalising the alignment. An international agency would be engaged to study road connectivity in the State. A special package for heavy maintenance has been worked out for roads leading to Sabarimala, he said.

Ombudsman

Minister for Cooperation and Devaswom G. Sudhakaran said a banking ombudsman would be appointed in the cooperative sector. The ombudsman would look into incongruities in the interest levied by cooperative banks. The Cooperative Department already has a mechanism to check corruption.

A cooperative vigilance wing headed by a Deputy Inspector-General of Police with three zonal offices headed by Deputy Superintendents of Police is looking into corruption cases. The cooperative Act would be amended. As many as 150 amendments have been mooted for the Act. It has been decided to open 4,000 Onam bazaars this year. Forest Minister Benoy Viswom said 391 cases had been registered in connection with sandalwood smuggling during the past two years. As many as 480 persons have been arrested for smuggling sandalwood. All 23 sandalwood factories have been closed and they are under observation.

List for new courts

Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said a priority list for setting up new courts had been prepared. The proposal to set up evening courts in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Ernakulam, Thrissur and Kozhikode is being examined by the government. Gun licence has been issued to 5,198 persons in Ernakulam, 3,371 persons in Kottayam, 2,790 persons in Thiruvananthapuram and 284 persons in Alappuzha, he said.

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