The Hindu : Two projects with the same goal

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jul 17, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

Two projects with the same goal

By Our Staff Reporter

KOLLAM July 16. Even as the Labour Minister, Babu Divakaran, in his capacity as the local MLA, had announced the launch of `Clean Kollam Project' from today as a step to counter the raging viral epidemic in the district, the Kollam Corporation seems to have taken a `non-cooperation' stand by announcing a separate programme for the same.

While the Corporation's programme was announced by the Mayor, Sabita Beegum, at a press conference here today, the Minister announced the project at a specially convened meeting here on July 14.

According to a statement released by the District Information Office following the meeting convened by the Minister, the grama and block panchayats, the district panchayat, the Kollam Corporation, the two municipalities in the district, the various Government departments, voluntary organisations and residents associations would be involved in the `Clean Kollam Project'.

However, the Mayor's statement makes it clear that the Corporation would have nothing to do with the project announced by Mr. Divakaran in the presence of the district panchayat president, Aiysha Potti, the chairman of the Kollam Development Authority, A.A. Samad, the Kollam Collector, Rajan Khobragade, and representatives of the various residents associations in the city. The Mayor was conspicuous by her absence at that meeting.

The Mayor's grouse against the project appears to be that at the July 14 meeting, Mr. Divakaran was critical of the Kollam Corporation on the garbage clearance programme in the city. He had said that garbage clearance was the sole responsibility of the city Corporation and that the ``Corporation authorities cannot be given a clean chit on the same''.

It is pointed out that though the Mayor had organised more than 12 press conferences during the past two-and-a-half years to announce steps for garbage clearance, the city continues to stink except for a few select locations. This is in spite of the fact that a night squad of the Corporation has been in force during the past several months at the expense of the exchequer. Even complaints given directly to the Mayor hardly met with the desired action.

Meanwhile, the programme announced by the Mayor by and large remains similar to the one declared under the Clean Kollam Project. The difference is that the same work is going to be implemented under the label of `operation fever control'. But the residents fear that the two projects could mar the spirit of the initiative due to petty political rivalry. The fear got confirmed today as garbage heaps continued to remain in many parts of the city on the day of the launch of the `Clean Kollam Project' and the `Operation Fever Control Project'.

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