KOCHI: The fire at Brahmapuram dumpyard has revealed several major lapses in the functioning of the plant. Amid all this, the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) is yet to take up the quick verification (QV) ordered by the Muvattupuzha vigilance court last November into the contract granted by the Kochi corporation to the firm Star Construction for the operation and maintenance of the 250-tonne per day windrow composting plant. The court had asked the VACB (central range) to conduct the QV and file a report this January. However, the bureau is yet to begin it.
The court ordered the QV on November 17, 2022, on a petition filed by social activist Gireesh Babu in April, for an inquiry into the alleged corruption by the corporation secretary, its superintendent engineer, Star Construction and its proprietors Sevi Joseph and Zakeer Babu, a CPM leader in Kalamassery. “Prima facie, it appears the third respondent Star Construction lacks the technical qualifications and minimum three years of demonstrable experience.
There must be a detailed enquiry on the technical qualification of Star Construction and its associate Techno Star. If it lacks the technical qualification as demanded in the tender, the acceptance of Star Construction’s tender is an abuse of official position by the corporation secretary and superintendent engineer,” the court said in the order. It also ordered a probe into the unholy nexus between the respondents, and whether the secretary and engineer abused their official position to cause any undue pecuniary advantage to other respondents.
Gireesh said the court ordered the QV after all documents showed that Star Construction was not eligible to participate in tender proceedings or even receive the contract at Brahmapuram. “Following the order, the VACB went to the corporation office in November and took away some documents. No report was filed by the deadline. There has been no response from VACB.
This is a sensitive matter and VACB’s inaction points to the respondents’ influence,” he said. Officials of VACB, central range, said they were awaiting permission under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act for conducting the QV.
Mobile medical units to be opened today
Kochi: Health Minister Veena George said that the health department’s mobile medical units will begin functioning in Kochi from Monday. Two mobile units will be opened on Monday, while five will begin functioning on Tuesday. The units will provide treatment for respiratory and other related illnesses. People who need further medical evaluation will be referred to hospitals immediately.S ervices of a medical officer, a nursing officer and a nursing assistant will be available at the clinic. These clinics are equipped with nebulization and stabilisation facilities too. The public can avail of this facility at a mobile reporting centre.
Mobile unit 1 (Monday)
Mobile unit 2 (Monday)