THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : With the local body elections around the corner, the city corporation is on an inauguration spree. On Tuesday, Local Self-Government Minister A C Moideen launched four major schemes announced by Mayor K Sreekumar at a function held here. The initiatives aim at ensuring safe drinking water and food, effective management of septage and a complaint redressal cell for addressing public grievances. Appreciating the efforts of the civic body, the minister said the World Bank has granted Rs 2,100 crore to Kerala for improving hygiene standards.
He said ‘Sujalam Sulabham’, which ensures the supply of clean drinking water through tankers, would help ensure health of the residents and tourists. Extending full support to the corporation’s endeavours from the state government, Moideen said the complaint redressal cell would help root out corruption existing in the system.
As part of the Subhojanam scheme, a medical check-up of food handlers at restaurants would be conducted every six months. Urging the need for public participation, the minister said that residents and individuals should come forward and form vigilante committees at each residents association to ensure a clean environment. He pointed out that dumping of garbage in water bodies and public places is rampant and added that waste management is one of the major challenges faced by the state. Mayor Sreekumar said the septage management scheme launched by the corporation has been a huge success. During the past eight months, the civic body has disposed of three crore litres of septage and has collected Rs 1.8 crore in service fees.
Subhojanam scheme
The city corporation will be rating approximately 650 eateries identified in its jurisdiction based on hygiene standards. The primary objective is to provide training to food handlers with the help of food safety authorities and experts. The project also aims at giving health cards to food handlers in the sector.
Sujalam Subhalam
As part of the scheme, the civic body is planning to bring drinking water supply network under one roof. So far, 10 agencies have taken licence from the civic body for supplying drinking water via tankers in the state capital. The service providers would be allowed to collect water strictly from the Kerala Water Authority (KWA). Every three months, the civic authorities would check the tankers to ensure hygiene. Also, the public can place their request for water supply online or on the mobile application.
Septage collection
The scheme aims at curbing illegal collection and disposal of garbage in public places or water bodies. Those who require the service can place their request via the Smart Trivandrum App. The vehicles involved in the septage collection would be tracked by the civic body. An OTP would be generated for the vehicle collecting septage. The vehicle with the generated OTP would be allowed to release the waste at the Muttathara Sewage Treatment Plant (STP).
Complaint redressal cell
The complaint redressal cell, which will operate from 9am to 6pm, will help address the complaints of the residents. Department heads have been assigned to deal with the complaints of the public which would be directly monitored by the mayor. The complaints can be registered online, via the app or in person.
Septage management
● The septage management scheme launched by the
corporation has been a success
● The civic body has disposed of three crore litres of septage and collected Rs 1.8 crore in service fees