Women's hostel in city ordered to close down

The Health Wing of the Kochi Corporation slapped a closure notice on Angel Blue Working Women's hostel located at Mahakavi G. Road in the city.

On inspection, the hostel was found functioning in unhygienic conditions and hence the closure notice, said T.K. Ashraf, chairman of the Health Standing Committee of the Kochi Corporation. Moisture dampened the walls of the rooms and fungus grew on some of the walls of the rooms. There was no sufficient airflow in the rooms and stench emanated from some of the rooms, he said.

Closure notice was issued to the hostel authorities to give time for the 20-odd inmates to find alternative accommodation. The hostel had earlier secured licence from the civic authorities. The Corporation will carry out inspections in the hostel in the coming days. They will be allowed to operate only after complying with the directives of the civic body and making the building fit for human occupation, he said.

The condition of five other hostels, which were also inspected, was found satisfactory. Raids will continue on the hostels in the city as part of the cleanliness drive of the Kochi Corporation, he said.

The officials destroyed stale food which was seized from a hotel near Shenoys Theatre. Stale food was found stored in plastic covers in the hotel, he said. The Corporation has ordered the removal of advertisement boards displayed in the electric posts in different parts of the city within three days.

If the advertisers fail to remove the materials within the stipulated time, the Corporation will remove them and slap a fine of Rs. 5,000 on the advertisers. Legal action will also be initiated against those who refuse to pay the fine.

The action comes in the wake of complaints that the illegally displayed boards were causing hardship to pedestrians and obstructing vehicular movement in the city, said a communication issued by Kochi Mayor Tony Chammany.