The issue of maintenance of street lights in the city seems to be heading for a solution with the city Corporation authorities putting forward a proposal to the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) to carry out the maintenance work with the civic body depositing the payments in advance.
The proposal was presented at a meeting that the Mayor and other Corporation officials had with KSEB Chairman M. Sivasankar in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday. V.S. Padmakumar, chairperson of the Works standing committee of the Corporation, said the board Chairman had responded positively.
“The Thiruvananthapuram Corporation has the most number of street lights. So, only a body like the KSEB with its vast infrastructure can carry out the maintenance properly. The Chairman told us that a decision will be taken within two days. We will deposit the funds as and when required,” Mr. Padmakumar said.
Decision today
Mr. Sivasankar said a decision on the Corporation’s proposal would be taken at a board meeting on Tuesday.
“The proposal is to carry out the maintenance work in the manner being done in the Kozhikode Corporation. The board members will discuss it and take an appropriate decision. The Corporation authorities have promised to send an official letter with the proposals at the earliest,” Mr. Sivasankar said.
In the Corporation council meeting held on Saturday, the issue of street lights had caused a huge uproar, with the Opposition disrupting the meeting right at the start. The Leader of the Opposition had said that the council could not continue until the issue of street lights was resolved.
Amid the protests, Mr. Padmakumar had moved an adjournment motion in which the proposal to deposit the amount required for the maintenance work with the KSEB and execute the work using contract employees with the board overseeing the work was put forward. The motion was passed with the ruling party councillors giving assent to it. The city has approximately 65,000 fluorescent tubes, 15,000 sodium vapour lamps, and more than 50 high-mast lights.
