The New Indian Express 04.10.2010
Sewerage network project trouble
KOCHI:The protests by the locals of divisions four and six of the Kochi Corporation have resulted in the expulsion of these areas from the sewerage network project proposed to be set up by the local body. After a failed attempt to convince the locals that the project would in no way harm them, the authorities have prepared a detailed project report (DPR) for the sewerage network project which envisages centralised treatment of sewerage waste from every household and firm.According to the ADB sponsored project, each house and firm under the project will be connected to the collection centres at eight locations through pipelines. To take the waste to the treatment plant at Mundamvely, pump houses will have to be constructed at these locations.
But people at divisions four and six are against constructing a pump house there. “We had asked the people’s representatives, including the councillor from the area, to convince the people that the project would be beneficial to them. But they failed in the attempt and we will have to exempt these areas for the time being,” an official said.
Now divisions five and six will be completely out of the project. The residents of divisions four, seven and nine will get only partial benefits of the project. According to the original proposal, 2.5 lakh people living in 15 divisions would have been the benefactors.
The ` 1 billion plant will have a capacity of 23 million litres per day. Apart from the treatment plant, eight pumping stations are required for the completion of the project.
Contamination of water is the biggest threat faced by Kochi. The presence of faecal remains in potable water supplied in the city have been posing serious health hazards.
