KOCHI: In a marked shift from the earlier sound and fury which signified nothing, the Corporation council hall on Saturday witnessed constructive discussions on ways to tackle communicable diseases sweeping the city. Mayor Soumini Jain convened the special council session as per the directive of the Local Self Government Department ahead of the statewide clean-up drive from June 27-29.
During the meeting, the councillors came up with a slew of suggestions to resolve monsoon-related issues plaguing the city.
Meet on Tuesday
As the first step, the Corporation has decided to hold a meeting of all the stakeholders, including government departments, hospitals, educational institutions, political parties, trade unions, residents’ associations and NGOs at the Town Hall on Tuesday. The meeting will discuss the steps to be adopted to make Kochi a clean city, by clearing all waste materials.The council meet has decided to conduct medical camps across the city and form flying squads to check illegal dumping of waste in public places.
Unhygienic eateries
Stringent action will be taken against unhygienic eateries in the city. The Corporation will close down unhygienic wayside food joints at Mullassery, TD Road, Vaduthala, Pachalam, Ponnurunni and at two railway stations. These regions are considered high-risk areas as a majority of people who took treatment at the General Hospital were from these places.
“As part of the cleaning drive, each division will get `30,000 under the Suchitwa Mission and the National Rural Urban Health Mission. Of this, `5,000 should be used for conducting medical camps. The divisions will get the funds by Wednesday,” said Soumini Jain. According to Opposition leader K J Antony, the mosquito menace and epidemic outbreak can be stopped only by disposing of waste in a time-bound manner. “Fifty per cent of the vehicles used for waste transportation are under repair.
The waste transportation to the Brahmapuram plant can be carried out smoothly if the corporation takes immediate measures to repair the vehicles. This apart, the councillors should ensure sanitation drive is carried out effectively in each division,” said Antony. A workshop should be conducted for contingent workers to teach them about proper waste disposal methods.
Deputy Mayor T J Vinod highlighted the need to conduct a special drive at the camps of migrant workers to make them aware of the importance of hygienic surroundings. “The political parties and other organisations should strive to check the outbreak of communicable diseases. Only a collective effort will lead to positive results,” he said.
Meanwhile, councillor Benedict Fernandes suggested the hotels should stop serving bore well water to the customers during the monsoon. “Special power should be given to all standing committee chairpersons to close down the hotels or eateries functioning in unhygienic conditions,” he said.
However, Opposition councillor V P Chandran said the three-day drive in the city would be successful only if the contractors provide sufficient number of lorries for transporting waste to the plant. As a response to this, the Mayor directed the Corporation Secretary to write to the contractors for providing more vehicles for the cleaning drive. Standing Committee chairpersons V K Minimol, K V P Krishnakumar, P M Harris and councillors M G Aristottil, K R Premkumar, Shyamala Prabhu and Sudha Dileep also participated in the special council session.
Mayor Soumini Jain convened the special council session as per the directive of the Local Self Government Department ahead of the statewide clean-up drive from June 27-29
The council meet has decided to conduct medical camps across the city and form flying squads to check illegal dumping of waste in public places
Stringent action will be taken against unhygienic eateries in the city
As part of the cleaning drive, each division will get Rs 30,000 under the Suchitwa Mission and the National Rural Urban Health Mission. Of this, `5,000 should be used for conducting medical camps Soumini Jain