Opposition alleges illegal transportation from hospitals to Brahmapuram
KOCHI: The Corporation council meeting on Monday witnessed noisy scenes and heated arguments over the alleged unauthorised transportation of medical waste from big hospitals outside the city to the Brahmapuram waste treatment plant. While raising the allegations, opposition leader K.J Antony said that medical waste from a few hospitals were being loaded on Corporation’s trucks during nights and sent to Brahmapuram. “This is being done with the connivance of health officials,” he alleged.
Replying to the allegations, Health Committee chairperson V.K Minimol said that if the Opposition leader had solid evidence, a complaint would be lodged with the police. “Medical waste is not permitted at the Brahmapuram plant. If any hospitals are found illegally transporting medical waste, police will be urged to take criminal action against them,” she said. Works Committee chairman P.M Haris also sought criminal action against the erring hospitals.
Allegations against illegal road cutting
Despite strict warning and police complaints, private telecom companies are still engaged in trenching city roads for cable laying. Both the ruling bench and opposition councillors raised the issue and sought strict measures. “Roads in my division have been trenched by telecom companies. I have no information about the sanction given to them,” said Jagadambika, Kunnumpuram division councillor.
Meanwhile, CPM councillor Benedict Fernandez produced a letter of the superintending engineer, who has ordered the regularization of mobile towers of M/S Reliance Jio Infocom Limited and to provide them permits. The official had taken the decision unilaterally without informing the council or even the secretary, the CPM councillor alleged.
Opposition members sought strict action against the superintending engineer. The council also discussed complaints against the functioning of the Corporation’s ‘Kochi Water’ packaged drinking water scheme, failure in enforcing plastic ban and delay in acquiring the Kokers theatre from the private owner. Meanwhile, Mayor Soumini Jain has agreed to convene a steering committee meeting and a meeting of political party representatives to discuss the Kokers theatre issue.
