Kerala - Kochi   

Below Poverty Line list to be revised

KOCHI: The Kochi Corporation has decided to extend the last date for filing complaints regarding the Below Poverty Line (BPL) list prepared by a consulting agency for the civic body. This was to facilitate the revision of the draft list prepared earlier.

This decision was taken at the Corporation Council meeting on Tuesday following widespread protests from the Councillors regarding the list. Many Councillors complained at the Council meeting that a large number of the poor, who should be included in the BPL category, were excluded from the list. At the same time, several affluent persons have found a place in the list, the Councillors said.

Explaining the process of the selection of the agency, Corporation Secretary Mini Antony explained to the Council that it could extent the last date for filing complaints regarding the inclusion of persons in the list. After the explanation of the Secretary, Mayor mercy Williams said that complaints can be submitted till September 10.

The Council also decided to release the salary of the contract workers hired by the Kochi Corporation for the collection and segregation of the biodegradable waste from the city. Though the employees were appointed two months ago, their salaries were not paid, as the files didn’t reach the Finance and Health Standing Committees and the Council, the Mayor said.

This led to an uproar and many Councillors said the act amounted to violation of human rights. The workers from the financially poor background were undertaking a job which most people would never do and the failure to pay them was an unpardonable act, the Councillors said.

Two agencies have submitted the expression of interest for the Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF) project of the Corporation. A.B. Sabu, N.Venugopal, M.S. Girish, T.J. Vinod, V.J. Hycinth, K.J. Dineshan and C.K. Gopalan were among those who took part in the discussion.

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