A meeting of the Kochi Corporation Council on Friday decided to make strong interventions following widespread complaints related to the functioning of the Edappally zonal office of the civic body.
Mayor M. Anilkumar adopted a strong position after councillors raised complaints about resentment over the alleged negligence by officials keeping people waiting for hours and then sending them back asking to return the next day. The Mayor directed that officials should take turns to monitor the functioning of the office each day.
The secretary, additional secretary, joint secretary, and officer in charge of revenue should take turns on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday respectively in September. The Deputy Mayor should convene a meeting in this regard on Fridays and submit a report to the Mayor.
Mr. Anilkumar took strong exception to the revenue officer going on leave in September coinciding with the halfway mark of the financial year. He sought to know on what grounds the Secretary had granted leave to the official and directed the Secretary to submit a report in two days.
A third roll-on roll off (ro-ro) vessel is essential for proper service. Also, spare parts of ro-ro vessels have to come from abroad. A letter has been sent to Kochi Metro Rail Limited seeking to form a special purpose vehicle for the proper operation of the service.
Vyttila councillor Sunitha Dixon complained of receiving death threats following a dispute with a hotel operator over cleaning of drains at Vyttila. The Mayor said a police complaint would be lodged.
Dengue cases
The council called for taking the outbreak of dengue in the city seriously. Only one out of 10 cases are getting reported. There is hardly any space left at the General Hospital, and the affected are forced to go to Kottayam. Mr. Anilkumar urged people to be alert against conditions facilitating breeding of mosquitoes.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) councillor Padmaja Menon alleged that the roadside eatery for mobilising help for the landslide-hit Wayanad was set up by Democratic Youth Federation of India activists without licence. She alleged that the activists had left waste behind.
A heated argument erupted in the council after the councillor commented that the BJP ruled the Centre, while the Mayor belonged to a party that could go extinct anytime.