Stalemate in Kochi corporation

  • | Thursday | 29th November, 2018

One of the major decisions at the Kochi Corporation council meeting held on October 23 was to take urgent measures for ensuring hassle-free issuance of building permits. The review conducted by district planning committee (DPC) held a few days ago found that Kochi Corporation could spent just 16% of the plan fund so far.The council held on October 23 decided to fix uniform rates for cremating bodies at all the crematoria owned by Kochi Corporation. The fact that there already exists a bylaw for crematoria flashed in the memory of none!The decision to evict roadside vendors taken at the October 23 council meeting also had not been implemented. “Thousands of applications are pending due to the apathy on the part of the corporation authorities. While checking whether the decision could be executed at the council meeting exactly after a month, it was found that the boards couldn’t be put up.

One of the major decisions at the Kochi Corporation council meeting held on October 23 was to take urgent measures for ensuring hassle-free issuance of building permits. But, the officials who replied to mayor Soumini Jain’s query on whether the problems related to the issuance of building permits are over, on November 23 just reiterated the reply they gave one month ago.According to the officials, non-linking of the existing software used by Kochi corporation with the new software Intelligent Building Plan Management System (IBPMS) to be used as per government instruction is the reason for the delay. The same is the case with almost all the decisions taken by the council last month as well.The problems in issuing building permits have affected the construction of individual houses as well as housing projects being implemented with the funds of the state and central governments. “Thousands of applications are pending due to the apathy on the part of the corporation authorities. Construction of houses by many poor people is being affected,” said CPM councillor Benedict Fernandez said.Officials with the corporation said they will have to convene meeting of the agencies concerned for linking the software applications soon. On why couldn’t they convene a meeting even after a month, the officials hadn’t any answer.Another decision in the October 23 council meeting was to convene a special council for expediting implementation of plan fund projects. Mayor Soumini Jain, on whom the onus of implementing the decision fell, said the meeting couldn’t be convened due to reasons like hectic schedule of ward sabhas. Jain said the special council will soon be convened. The review conducted by district planning committee (DPC) held a few days ago found that Kochi Corporation could spent just 16% of the plan fund so far.The council held on October 23 decided to fix uniform rates for cremating bodies at all the crematoria owned by Kochi Corporation. While checking whether the decision could be executed at the council meeting exactly after a month, it was found that the boards couldn’t be put up. Even the rates for cremation are yet to be fixed. At November 23 council meeting, the mayor said the rates, Rs 2,000 and Rs 250, which had been fixed for cremation at Pachalam crematorium for cremations using firewood and LPG respectively can be made uniform for all other crematoria owned by the corporation. But, deputy mayor T J Vinod said it won’t be judicious to fix same rates for one crematorium where three or four bodies would be cremated on an average every day and other places where only two or three bodies would be cremated a week. Finally, the council prepare a bylaw for crematoria and fix rates for cremation in consultation with stakeholders. The fact that there already exists a bylaw for crematoria flashed in the memory of none!The decision to evict roadside vendors taken at the October 23 council meeting also had not been implemented. Though 200 vendors who had been found to have encroached upon wayside as per the survey conducted by the officials themselves, eviction notices were given to only eight people. In the wake of many roads works being stalled due to hike in bitumen prices, the council held last month had decided to explore the possibilities of contractors directly purchasing bitumen. But, the council that met on November 23 had to give the same instruction again.” The mayor has no time to ensure that the officials execute the decisions taken by the council on time.

If You Like This Story, Support NYOOOZ

NYOOOZ SUPPORTER

NYOOOZ FRIEND

Your support to NYOOOZ will help us to continue create and publish news for and from smaller cities, which also need equal voice as much as citizens living in bigger cities have through mainstream media organizations.


Stay updated with all the Latest Kochi headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.

Related Articles

Vyttila flyover concrete work over
  • Wednesday | 27th May, 2020
New normal for cops, prisoners
  • Wednesday | 27th May, 2020