The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Land acquisition hard: Mayor

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Monday, Aug 04, 2008
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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Land acquisition hard: Mayor

Special Correspondent

Taking stock: Mayor C. Jayan Babu delivering the inaugural address at the half-yearly meeting of the Federation of Residents Associations, Thiruvananthapuram, in the city on Sunday.

Thiruvananthapuram: Mayor C. Jayan Babu said here on Sunday that residents’ associations in the city had a crucial role to play in ensuring the cooperation of the public for implementing infrastructure projects.

Delivering the inaugural address at the half-yearly meeting of the Federation of Residents Associations, Thiruvananthapuram (FRAT), he said several key projects were held up by the failure to get the land needed.

“The refusal of citizens to surrender land is a major impediment to the proposed sewerage extension scheme which involves the construction of 16 pumping stations at different locations.”

The Mayor urged residents’ associations to enlighten the public about the need for better cooperation with the government and local bodies. He said the shortage of staff in the Corporation was another major reason for the poor implementation of externally funded projects. “Project officials appointed on contract basis frequently leave for better jobs elsewhere.”

The Mayor said the Corporation was working on a proposal to streamline the process of collection and disposal of garbage in the city.

Garbage disposal

“The draft bylaw on solid-waste management is a step in this direction. Under the new proposal, multi-user units, such as residential colonies, hotels, clubs, wedding halls, apartment buildings, commercial establishments and markets, will be required to install and maintain solid-waste treatment facilities. Failure to segregate garbage at source and careless disposal of waste will invite stern action.”

FRAT president Pattom Sasidharan Nair presided over the function. Thennala Balakrishna Pillai, senior Congress leader and MP, was the chief guest. M.S. Kumar, Bharatiya Janata Party leader, and FRAT general secretary Paraniyam Devakumar were present.

FRAT members who participated in a 24-hour hunger strike demanding the establishment of a High Court Bench in the capital were presented mementos.

Two seminars, one on the policing scheme of the Janamaithri Suraksha community and the other on the law against domestic violence, were organised as part of the meeting.

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