By Express News Service KOCHI: Corporation’s tardy implementation of the pre-monsoon cleaning drive resulted in waterlogging in many parts of the city on Thursday. Though the earlier plan was to complete the drive-by end of May, the corporation’s laid-back attitude delayed cleaning work. Even after monsoon hit state, corporation is still carrying out pre-monsoon cleaning in major canals, which include Thevera-Perandoor canal. Though corporation officials passed the buck on the contract workers, who staged an indefinite strike for clearing the arrears, for the delay in starting the pre-monsoon drive, CPM-led opposition said lack of planning of ruling council resulted in the waterlogging. “Waterlogging in the city was not because of the strike but due to lack of planning. There was an inordinate delay in tendering the cleaning work. If the corporation could invite tenders before the election code of conduct came into force, it could have completed the cleaning work by the end of May,” said V P Chandran, CPM councillor. According to C K Manisankar, former deputy Mayor of Kochi, lack of planning by civic authorities led to flooding. “During the tenure of Dinesh Mani as mayor, Esteem Developers had prepared a detailed project report to tackle waterlogging in the city. Some recommendations were implemented in West Kochi area. But when the UDF came to power, the report was shelved. If the corporation implements the recommendations, waterlogging can be controlled to a great extent,” said Manisankar. However, Mayor Soumini Jain told Express that flooding was caused due to high tide. “The rise of water level in major canals is due to rain and high tide. Silt removal from drains was completed nearly a month ago. Silt removal is going on only in major canals and it is almost in the final stages,” said Mayor. She said instruction has been given to health and engineering wings to carry out drainage clearing work. “Since cleaning along small drainages were completed nearly a month ago, silt got deposited in some parts of the city,” said the Mayor.

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