Commercial growth alone does not augur well for Kochi. The city must increase its green cover and must simultaneously opt for CNG-run vehicles as in New Delhi to check pollution, Minister for Excise and Ports K. Babu has said.
Speaking after inaugurating the Edappally-Vyttila bypass beautification project undertaken by Kochi Bypass Beautification Society (KBBS), he said that automobile pollution was a grave issue in the city and suburbs. “We need a serious debate and action to introduce CNG as a fuel.”
Mr Babu also gave a call to tidy up all open and public spaces in Kochi and plant trees there with the help of sponsors. He lamented that saplings planted by different agencies often withered away for want of periodic care and pruning. “People’s help is crucial to ensure a clean, green city and increased civic sense is important,” he said.
In the backdrop of pedestrians getting knocked down by vehicles speeding along the Edappally-Aroor NH bypass at night, Benny Behanan, MLA, said that Kerala Tourism had promised Rs 1 crore for improving street lighting along the stretch. He promised all help to maintain the bypass as a banner/flex-board-free stretch.
So far, the KBBS has planted 20,000 saplings of oleander and alamanda on the central median in 4.6 km of the 6-km stretch, supervised by the Kochi Corporation that provided Rs 20 lakh. Entrepreneur and chairman of the body, Kochouseph Chittilapilly said that 15 business establishments and others, including shops, a mall, a star hotel, a hospital, an automobile dealer and builders were providing monetary support for the Rs 1 crore project.
Elaborating on how the project was executed, he said that agro-turf was spread across the median to prevent the growth of weeds. “Bore wells were dug at frequent intervals and (portable) generators deployed to water the saplings. The saplings were fenced and pathways demarcated for pedestrians to cross. Another 20,000 saplings will be planted (on the side of the medians),” he said.
Mayor Tony Chammany said that the initiative showed that a new development model had ushered into Kochi. “The central and side medians were weed-infested and in a pathetic shape when it was under NHAI. The whole stretch will become a flower bed in another few months. We plan to emulate this sustainable scheme in Fort Kochi too.”
Chairman of the Kochi Corporation’s development standing committee T.J. Vinod termed as ‘shameful’ the plight of medians of the NH bypass till a few months ago when NHAI maintained it.