There is a series of unpainted bumps on the IGH Road in Gandhi Nagar, Kadavanthara, also between Kendriya Vidyalaya to Salim Rajan Road. Poor lighting increases the chances of accidents. I would request the authorities to look into the matter.
Jerin Josey, Kochi
Collector Sheikh Pareeth: This road is owned by the corporation. Instructions were given for removing the bumps wherever necessary after examination. Painting of road bumps and providing streetlights will be taken up without delay.
Dump in the drain
The main sewerage close to the Apoorva Apartments on Subhash Chandra Bose Road in Vyttila is clogged by trash. Our apartment is opposite to the Kunjanbava Road junction where the corporation Anganwadi, a group of other flats, a bank and supermarkets function. The drain is not being cleaned due to garbage dumping. There are three regular waste collection sites, mostly over and along the drain. Burning of plastic materials during the day time is a matter of concern. We request the Mayor to take appropriate action and order the use of the nearby K.W.A site to collect the waste.
A. Narayanan, president, Apoorva Apartment Residents Association, Vyttila
Mayor Tony Chammany: Many cities in Kerala have been facing problems over solid waste management. However, Kochi has been able to manage it in a better way during the last few years, for which it has been receiving appreciation from many quarters.
Such sporadic issues like the one you have brought to my notice pertaining to a particular locality have to be addressed so as to make our entire system work more efficiently.
The area mentioned is sparsely populated with less traffic, which is one of the main reasons for choosing this locality as a garbage collection point. A team of nine Kudumbashree workers collect and segregate the waste from this area regularly. However, in the light of your letter I had asked the Health Officer for a detailed report. A Health Inspector visited the site and a meeting of Kudumbashree workers were called and they have been instructed to spread plastic sheets on the entire space were they collect and segregate the garbage to avoid waste from falling off into the drain or on the road while being carried to garbage disposal trucks.
Littering and fly-tipping at street corners and in drains points to the apathy on the part of some citizens. This is a serious civic issue and the Kochi Corporation is planning to assign a look-out squad for catching people who throw garbage on roadsides, drains, junctions and thinly inhabited areas, such as yours. The corporation has begun installing surveillance cameras.
I also suggest and encourage local residents to form a system to closely watch, monitor and catch such people red-handed.
The corporation has been regularly cleaning the drains in the city and will be employing people in this regard so as to initiate the work as soon as possible in the area.
The corporation has been actively involved in educating people on the hazards of plastic. It does not encourage burning of plastics and do not permit the same to happen at Brahmapuram plant. Large volume of plastic waste collected from the city is treated by Scientific Caping. And to use the premises of K.W.A as waste collecting points, a meeting will have to be convened to get their permission. The corporation will initiate the dialogue.
Bypass on the way
There is a proposal for a bypass road from Mamala to KRL Road over Chithrapuzha which was actively mooted and followed up by the residents associations. If this is constructed, direct entry to Seaport-Airport Road and S.N. Junction (for Ernakulam) will be easily possible. Another proposal which can be easily implemented is the left diversion from the fish market before Thiruvankulam Junction to Muvattupuzha Road for light vehicles.
M.G. Radhakrishnan, Thiruvankulam
Collector Sheikh Pareeth : This bypass road project is being implemented by Tripunithura Municipality. 90% of the land has been surrendered. The work will be executed after getting the entire road area. Instructions have been given to the municipality for the speedy execution of this project. The cost of the estimated project comes to about Rs 15 crores. Regarding left diversion from the fish market before Thiruvankulam Junction to Muvattupuzha, this will be implemented by the Tripunithura Municipality. Action is being taken by them.
Compiled by K. K. Sankaran
