The Kerala High Court on Tuesday warned the Kochi Corporation that if any of the drains in the city was found not cleaned, the assistant engineers concerned would be personally held responsible, and they would be asked to appear in person in the court.
Justice Devan Ramachandran, while hearing a case related to flooding of the city, also directed the civic body to take stringent and legally tenable action against hotels and ‘thattukadas’ (street food joints) that dumped waste into stormwater drains. The court issued the directive as the amici curiae submitted that hoteliers and operators of thattukadas were dumping waste into stormwater drains.
The counsel for the Corporation submitted that since action had already been taken against hoteliers, there was some change in their attitude. However, the Corporation was unable to act against operators of thattukadas. The court then observed that it failed to understand why the Corporation was taking such a stand.
Senior Government Pleader S. Kannan submitted that one of the apartment blocks for rehabilitation of residents in P&T Colony was nearing completion, and that the structural work for the second block had been completed. The contractors had committed to complete the construction of the first block by June 7 and the second block by June 15.
He also informed the court that sanction had been granted to the Kerala Water Authority to dig up M.G. Road for laying or shifting water supply lines along Mullassery canal.
