The Hindu 05.02.2014
Digging of roads for laying pipelines will not be allowed, says Mayor
One of the city roads that was dug up to lay pipelines.— PHOTO: K.K. Najeeb
Mayor Rajan Pallan has criticised the corporation
officials who gave permission to the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) to dig
up roads for laying pipes without depositing money for repairing them.
A
group of councillors had recently picketed the water authority
officials for the delay in re-tarring the roads, dug up for laying
pipelines.
The Mayor asked the corporation secretary
to give a report about the details of officials who had given permission
to the water authority for pipeline laying work. He said stringent
action would be taken against the officials.
The
Mayor said the corporation would not give permission for digging up of
any new road. Only the ongoing works can be completed, he said.
“The
water authority should have deposited Rs. 90 lakh before digging up
Olari, North Bus Stand, Paliyam, Kunnathumana and Chembookkavu roads.
But it has not deposited any money,” the Mayor said.
The corporation is concerned about the hardships faced by the people due to the on-going works, he said.
The
road repairing works were scheduled to be finished before January. It
is still continuing indefinitely, the councillors alleged. There should
be some arrangement to complete the work in a time-bound manner, they
said. An urgent meeting of higher officials of the water authority,
Public Works Department and the corporation will be convened to discuss
the arrangements to be made to mitigate shortage of drinking water in
the city.
The pressure of the real estate lobby was
behind the move to close the slaughter house in Kuriachira, the standing
committee chairman (health) Girish Kumar said.
He
alleged that the court order to close the slaughter house came as the
lawyer of the corporation failed to convince the court about the real
situation at the slaughter house. It would be opened soon after
fulfilling all the guidelines set by the court, he said.
