THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The mediation talks initiated by the High Court on the Vilappilsala garbage treatment plant will be held again on March 16. No consensus was formed at the mediation meet held in Kochi on Thursday. Representatives of the Government, Vilappil panchayat and City Corporation attended the meeting.
Additional secretary C Radhakrishna Kurup represented the Corporation, LSG Principal Secretary James Varghese and Suchitwa Mission executive director George Chackacherry represented the Government and 17 members of Vilappil panchayat, including president Shobhana Kumari, attended the mediation talks.
Shobhana Kumari has made it clear that the only solution before them is the closure of the garbage plant. ‘’They asked whether there is any solution. The Corporation has put forward some alternative suggestions to improve the condition of the garbage plant. But we are adamant about its closure. We presented the health issues and other problems faced by the residents for the past 11 years,” she said.
“Chief Minister Oommen Chandy had promised us that the plant will be closed,” she added.
There were individual and group discussions with representatives of Corporation, Government and Vilappil panchayat. Representative of the Bangalore-based Mediation Centre Lyla Ollapally, US-based mediator Victor Thatter, senior advocate of High Court Dharmajan and advocate Sally Thomas Chacko supervised the mediation talks.
The Vilappil panchayat is in the process of raising funds to meet the expenses of the case in the Supreme Court. “Money will be collected from people in the Vilappil panchayat. The Government officials will donate a day’s salary,” Shobhana Kumari said.