Even as a controversy rages over the appointment of a consultant for sewage treatment plants, the implementation of the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (Amrut) project is going on at a slow pace in Kozhikode city.
No project has been been implemented under sewerage and storm water drainage components in the city. One of the main allegations raised by the Congress-led United Democratic Front councillors against Ram Biologicals, the firm that has been entrusted with preparing the detailed project report and implementation of the three sewage treatment plants in the city, was that it was unqualified to carry out the works.
However, officials said that Ram Biologicals was one of the nine consultants shortlisted by the State Sanitation Mission under the Amrut High Power Committee. The Amrut projects were prepared under five components — water supply, sewerage, storm water drainage, urban transport, and development of parks. The total cost is ₹274.76 crore spanning three years till 2020.
Four main projects have been designed under the water supply scheme (₹96.25 crore) and two under sewerage (₹120.8 crore) while 10 have been envisaged under storm water drainage (₹41.43 crore) , one under urban transport (₹11.35) and eight under parks (₹4.92 crore).
A sum of ₹14.10 crore was accorded technical sanction for the sewerage system project that included a treatment plant at the Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital. Only two out of the 49 projects envisaged for the city have been completed till now. Both the projects are under the water supply component. Tenders have either been floated or awarded in other projects. A storm water management system, under the Amrut programme, is coming up on People’s Road that links Karaparamba Junction with West Hill at an estimated cost of ₹5.5 crore.
Officials said the absence of a project design and management consultancy were attributed to the delay in the execution of projects.
