KOZHIKODE: There seems to be no respite in sight for the sufferings of the residents of Shanti Nagar Model Village at West Hill. The colony is in dire need of drinking water in addition to the facilities for proper waste management. Though there has been wide spread demand for infrastructural developments including drinking water connection, there has been no action on the part of the authorities. The city corporation, Kerala Water Authority and Revenue Department authorities are sitting on the demands.
Presently, 218 residents of the colony are forced to use the public water tap to meet their requirement. According to the residents, KWA authorities express their helplessness saying that they can not provide water connection without house numbers. They get a raw deal from the Revenue Department authorities, who extend excuses like since the housing scheme has not been completed the numbers can’t be provided.
Taking note of the plight of the residents, the city corporation has ensured adequate action to address their problem regarding potable water. In a reply to calling attention motion in the council meeting, held last month, Mayor A K Premajam had said that the corporation will send a letter to the Revenue Department seeking speeding up of the steps to provide the residents with house number.
West Hill councillor C P Saleem told ‘City Express’ that no follow up has been initiated by the corporation authorities regarding the proceedings for the allotment of house numbers. “The assurance remains merely in words. There is has been no development in the steps initiated by the corporation,” Saleem said.
According to him, no official’s of the Revenue Department including village officer have even visited the colony to assess the sufferings of the colony residents. “The people’s representatives have been repeatedly demanding the district administration to visit the colony. But the demands have fallen on deaf ears,” Saleem added.
“There is no legal impediments in ensuring such basic needs of the residents. The law allows the Revenue Department to provide them temporary house numbers in order to bring an end to their mounting woes,” Saleem pointed out.
Sajan Kodambuzha of Janakeeya Committee says that the Kerala State Housing Board, the nodal agency, which was entrusted to implement the scheme, has completed all essential procedures to give numbers to the houses. But, according to him, the laxity of the Revenue Department, is becoming a bane for them.
The people’s representatives, however, are planning to meet the District Collector at the earliest to raise a strong demand seeking a settlement for the residents’ drinking water and waste management woes.
The housing scheme was envisioned by the UDF government to uplift the Bangladesh colony, which had been cut away off from the mainstream society and had turned into a haven for the antisocial elements.