The Times of India 25.01.2010

Dry Sunday for patients at GMC's new block

TNN, 25 January 2010, 06:45am ISTPANAJI: An acute water shortage in the new wing of the Goa medical college and hospital, especially the paediatrics ward, on Sunday adversely affected patients for most part of the day. Water had to be literally rationed for essential needs of the occupants in about five wards, sources said.

"There was no water supply in the paediatrics ward till late evening," a parent of a child admitted in one of the
wards said. Another woman tending to her child added, "We had to face hardship after the taps dried up and we had
to walk to the canteen to get small quantities for essential needs." A relative of a patient in the skin and VD ward said water supply stopped in the morning and they had no water till 8.30 pm.

Sources said that the GMC staff tried to provide small quantities of water for drinking and other purposes during
the day. When contacted GMC medical superintendent Dr Rajan Kunkolienkar admitted that water supply had stopped for some time. "The PWD delayed pumping the water in the afternoon," he said.

Two pumps in the main building and new wing supply water to this side of the complex. The water supply was resumed just after 8 pm, he said. Sources in the PWD could not be contacted for the reason for delay in pumping the water.

It was, however, learnt that some areas of Tiswadi have been hit by a water shortage and that low pressure could have caused a problem.

The multi-storeyed new wing of the GMC has two sections of paediatric wards and an intensive care unit on the
ground floor, while the canteen is located in the basement of the building. The skin and VD ward is also in the
basement, while the nephrology and medicine wards are located on the upper floors of the wing, which had been inaugurated some time back.

The Hindu 25.01.2010

Garbage processing plant to be expanded, upgraded

Special Correspondent

Thiruvananthapuram: The City Corporation and the Centre for Environment and Development, the two agencies operating the garbage processing unit at Vilappilsala, have drawn up plans to enhance the capacity of the compost plant and equip it with better facilities. The first phase development of the plant is expected to increase the capacity to 300 tonnes from the present 170 tonnes a day. The work involves expanding the covered shed housing the main treatment plant along a 10-metre radius. An additional plant of 130 tonnes capacity will also be installed within the shed.

“The new plant is likely to be designed in-house. We are taking it up as a capacity-building exercise that will give us expertise in design and fabrication. This expertise can be put to use in installing similar units for other local self-government institutions and thereby reduce dependence on monopoly firms,” said Babu Ambatt, executive director, Centre for Environment and Development.

“On an average, 280 tonnes of garbage is transported to the plant every day, against the capacity of 170 tonnes. This has forced us to increase the height of the windrows (enclosures for storing the garbage) by 1.5 to 2 metres, making it difficult to turn the mass over from time to time,” explained Mr. Ambatt. Meanwhile, work on capping the huge mound of rejects from the treatment plant is over. “We have commenced the construction of a leachate treatment plant and issued the contract for construction of a sanitary landfill adjacent to the composting unit. The bids for the construction of a pelletization plant are being processed,” said G.R. Anil, chairman of the standing committee on Health.

The Corporation has installed a bailing machine for better storage of rejects that can be shifted to the landfill at a later stage. Simultaneously, the Corporation has submitted a proposal to the government to acquire 100 acres of land adjacent to the treatment plant.

Mr. Anil said efforts were on to augment the fleet of garbage trucks and equip them with better facilities. “A new lot of 10 trucks with air tight loading bays to contain the smell and leachate flow is expected to join the fleet soon.”