Latest news with #AntonyKureethra
Time of India
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Kochi corporation faces heat over missing building data in K-Smart portal
Kochi: Of the 2.5 lakh building permits assessed within Kochi city limits, data related to nearly 50,000 buildings is missing from the Kochi Corporation's database—a serious issue that has disrupted tax payments and licence renewals for many property owners. So far, over 1,450 building owners have lodged formal complaints with the civic body. Corporation officials said efforts are underway to physically verify missing records and minimize inconvenience to the public. The issue primarily stems from the time when TCS was managing the e-governance programme. After the contract was scrapped due to delays and payment disputes, the private firm withheld data, including critical building permit details. Opposition councillors blame the situation on the administration's failure to spot discrepancies during the software transition. "Thousands of building numbers were omitted from the e-portal. The owners only realize this when they try to pay tax. We suspect the actual number could be higher than 50,000," said Antony Kureethra, leader of the opposition. MG Aristotle, secretary of the UDF parliamentary party and member of the finance committee, pointed out that according to Section 240 of municipal rules, building numbers can only be omitted after clearing tax dues and restoration requires permission from the regional joint director. "When the transition from Sanchaya software to K-Smart took place, tens of thousands of buildings were left out. People only discover the issue when they attempt to make payments," said Aristotle, adding that the corporation still lacks clarity on the total number of missing records. Officials have considered assigning sub-numbers to the omitted buildings, but this creates legal complications, especially when the original numbers are mentioned in title deeds and official documents. A senior official maintained that data pertaining to most buildings are now available with K-Smart. However, he failed to give the exact numbers but took credit for reinforcing the stalled e-governance project in corporation limits. "When we assumed power in 2020, the e-governance project was delayed by a decade. At a time when even the Kuttampuzha panchayat, which is located in the remote area of the district, issued e-birth certificates and marriage certificates, people had to stand in queue in front of the Kochi corporation office to register birth, death, marriage, etc and get certificates," he said. "Tiding over all the crises during the tenure of the previous two councils, we gathered data, roped in IKM, and implemented the e-governance project by 2022. Now, all our services are available through K-Smart," the official added.
Time of India
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Streetlight woes continue in Kochi city
Kochi: Despite claims that the LED streetlight project in Kochi is nearing completion, several parts of the city continue to remain in darkness, with both new and old streetlights lying dysfunctional for months. While the Cochin Smart Mission Limited (CSML) is implementing the project, the lack of timely repairs and poor inter-agency coordination have left many residents frustrated. The Rs 40-crore LED project aims to replace all existing streetlights within the corporation limits with energy-efficient LED lamps to improve illumination and reduce electricity bills. Initially scheduled for completion in Dec 2023, the deadline was extended to Dec 2024. CSML now claims that the major implementation work will be completed by the end of July 2025. However, on the ground, lighting failures persist across multiple areas—both where new lights were installed and where old ones remain unreplaced. According to residents and councillors, maintenance has been poor, and repairs often take months. CSML blames the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) for not cooperating, particularly when it comes to power connections and maintenance support. "I've been raising the issue of defunct streetlights on the Ponnurunni overbridge for over a year and a half," said RTI activist TN Prathapan. "Despite notifying the corporation, CSML, and even the LSG minister, the area remains unlit. A fatal accident involving a father and son happened here, and poor lighting was a factor." Councillors have raised similar concerns with the corporation and CSML. "In many areas like Manappattipparambu Road, Girinagar, Fort Kochi, Eravely, Karippalam, Mattancherry, Moolamkuzhy, Edakochi and Palluruthy, streetlights are not functioning. CSML keeps citing lack of KSEB support," said Antony Kureethra, opposition leader in Kochi Corporation. UDF parliamentary party secretary MG Aristotle pointed out that the project was expected to slash electricity bills. "Earlier, before switching over to LED lights, the monthly bill was Rs 1.5 crore. In April 2025, it was Rs 1.24 crore and in May and June, Rs 1.33 crore and Rs 1.29 crore, respectively. The goal was a 40% reduction," he said. Public figure CICC Jayachandran added that lights in even key areas like MG Road and SA Road have not been functioning. "After I raised the issue, the mayor intervened and got some lights repaired on SA Road," he said. CSML officials said they will focus on repairs next month. "As of now, our aim is to complete the project. We've procured 1,500 smart meters, of which 850 are installed. Once fully operational, they will help streamline maintenance and reduce electricity costs," an official said.
Time of India
27-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Kochi corporation's mobile food testing lab remains non-operational
Kochi: Kochi corporation's mobile lab intended to check food adulteration remains dysfunctional for the past one-and-half years due to various reasons, including lack of competent officials to collect and test food samples. Recently, three persons who had food from a restaurant in Pallimukku were admitted to hospital due to food poisoning. "The incidents of food adulteration are increasing day by day. The corporation authorities are not taking any steps to make the mobile lab, procured using CSR funds, operational," said UDF parliamentary party secretary in Kochi corporation M G Aristotle. At a meeting held on Jan 8, 2024, corporation authorities had decided to constitute a special team to operate the facility. It was also decided to conduct the operations of the lab at least thrice a week. Another decision was to seek the support of officials with the food safety department to conduct the tests once a week. "But the decisions were not implemented. We are demanding that the corporation authorities should take steps to make the facility operational at the earliest," said Antony Kureethra, opposition leader in the corporation. "The decision to appoint an analyst to collect the food samples has not been implemented yet," he added. According to corporation officials, lack of cooperation from food safety department has hindered making the facility operational. "Corporation officials lack the competence to test the food samples. That is why we seek the cooperation of food safety department officials. But they are not supporting us," a corporation official said. "We held talks with the food safety commissioner and the department has agreed to provide their staff once a week. We have conducted an interview to appoint an analyst. So, we expect that the mobile lab can be operational without much delay," said health standing committee chairman T K Asharaf. However, officials with the food safety department in the district said that they have not received any instructions from the department headquarters to provide its staff to conduct tests on behalf of the corporation. "We are short staffed and can't spare our officials. Moreover, we are conducting regular inspections to check food adulteration," an official with the food safety department said.
Time of India
10-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
UDF to protest against corporation's tax collection
Kochi: UDF councillors in Kochi corporation are planning to stage a protest against the local body collecting enhanced tax from 2016. According to the UDF councillors, the corporation can seek retrospective tax for a maximum of three years. Govt allowed the local body to enhance building tax from 2016. "As per provisions in Kerala Municipal Building Rules, the local body can seek tax for a period of a maximum of three years prior to the date of issuing notice. But the local body issued notices to many seeking building tax from 2016. Around 146 taxpayers moved court, and the court gave its verdict against seeking tax from 2016. Now, the local body will have to either return the additional sum collected from them or adjust the amount in future tax," said Antony Kureethra, opposition leader in Kochi corporation. "Only 146 persons moved court while hundreds of taxpayers couldn't take legal recourse due to various constraints. Our demand is that the corporation should return the sum collected from all taxpayers," he said. Interestingly, Kochi corporation's revenue from building tax dipped by Rs 1 crore even after hiking tax. The tax collection, which was Rs 122 crore in the 2022-23 fiscal, reduced to Rs 121 crore in 2023-24.
Time of India
02-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Water contamination in KWA pipes persists in Fort Kochi
Kochi: Residents of Fort Kochi have been facing the issue of water contamination for at least three months. Kerala Water Authority (KWA) has failed to tackle the issue and provide clean water to the residents. Demanding a solution to the issue, the residents had taken to the streets several times. "We have been bringing the issue to the notice of KWA officials for the past few months. But KWA is still unable to identify the reason for contamination. The officials just speculate that contamination might be caused by water pipelines passing through drains. They said old, dilapidated pipes burst and contaminated water from the drains gushed into them. But KWA officials are unable to identify the areas where pipes burst have occured, contaminating the pipe water," said Antony Kureethra, councillor from Fort Kochi division. "The water contamination issue exists at many places in Fort Kochi and Kalvathy divisions and also in some parts of Vypeen," he added. Residents are hence forced to procure water from private suppliers. "Several families are finding it difficult to buy water from private suppliers as charges are high. We collected water from the KWA pipeline in our area and took it to KWA office in Fort Kochi. It was visibly contaminated. Discolouration and a foul smell emanating from the water suggested that it was contaminated. But KWA has failed to take any mitigating measures," said former mayor K J Sohan. Many roads and drains were reconstructed under projects like Smart City. During such works, many KWA pipes burst. This is another reason for water contamination, said locals. According to KWA officials, a shortage of workers is one of the reasons for delay in carrying out repair works. "We are trying to procure labourers for repair works. There are certain issues with identifying the leakage spots too. Anyway, we are making all efforts for repair works," said a KWA official.
