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Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Kochi corporation struggles to control stray dog population as ABC project faces setbacks
Kochi: Even while stray dog menace continues, Kochi corporation's efforts to augment operations of animal birth control (ABC) project at Brahmapuram failed. Local body authorities decided to vaccinate around 10,000 stray dogs in Aug 2025. A t the same time, efforts to deploy more dog catchers and procure a vehicle for movement of dogs caught from various parts of the city to ABC centre at Brahmapuram have not yielded results so far. "Sterilization and vaccination of stray dogs are being done at a slow pace. There are only five workers to catch stray dogs from 74 divisions of corporation," corporation UDF parliamentary party secretary said M G Aristotle. According to ABC centre officials, despite making continued efforts to appoint more dog catchers, none are joining. "It is a very difficult and dangerous job," said an official. Corporation authorities have completed renovation of the centre. Sterilisation of 8,400 stray dogs has been completed at the centre so far. Opposition councillors said the excuse of not finding staff to catch dogs is unreasonable. Despite funds being allocated to build a shelter for 100 dogs, it has not been completed to date, councillors said. This points to the apathetic attitude of corporation authorities, they said.
Time of India
5 days ago
- 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
12-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Kochi corporation kicks off drive to relocate street vendors
Kochi: In a bid to regulate street vending and ease traffic and pedestrian congestion, Kochi Corporation has initiated steps to relocate street vendors to designated vending zones. The process will begin next week, starting with vendors operating along Shanmugham Road. Corporation officials said that notices will be issued to these vendors, asking them to shift to the identified vending zone on Abraham Madamakkal Road. Those who fail to comply will be evicted with the support of the police. "The corporation will provide kiosks to all the vendors. We have identified vending zones across the city to relocate them. This initiative aims to improve urban aesthetics while ensuring that vendors' livelihoods are protected," said a senior corporation official. After the new council assumed office in 2020, an initial survey was carried out to identify street vendors across the city. Based on this, temporary licences were granted. Later, re-surveys were conducted under the leadership of Kudumbashree and the Centre for Socio-Economic-Environmental Studies (CSES) to identify more eligible vendors. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy Brass Idols - Handmade Brass Statues for Home & Gifting Luxeartisanship Buy Now Undo As a result, 2,351 vendors were approved through the town vending committee (TVC) following several verification processes. The corporation entrusted CSES with preparing the vending plan, which proposed 69 vending zones. These zones were approved by the TVC and the corporation council before being submitted to the state govt. In 2024, the Kerala govt officially approved the street vending zones and the supporting bylaw. However, concerns remain about the implementation. "While relocating vendors, the corporation must ensure that vacated spaces are not reoccupied by new vendors. Without strict enforcement, this move will fail to achieve its objective," said MG Aristotle, secretary of the UDF parliamentary party in the corporation. Lack of adequate space is another major challenge. Aristotle pointed out that the corporation had previously promised to relocate around 40 vendors from outside Ernakulam Market to within the market premises. "That promise remains unfulfilled. These vendors are still outside the market," he said. In Fort Kochi and adjacent divisions, the number of vendors identified officially is around 300, but more than 300 vendors are operating along the Fort Kochi Beach alone. Addressing such inconsistencies will be critical as the corporation rolls out its vendor rehabilitation programme. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
KWA writes off Rs 167cr water bill arrears of Kochi corporation
Kochi: In a major relief to Kochi corporation, KWA has decided to write off water bill arrears of local body, which amounts to around Rs 167 crore. Corporation's water bills, mainly those for public water taps, were pending since 2011. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The decision was made during a meeting between corporation authorities and KWA officials in May. Govt had already cut Rs 45 crore from general purpose grant and non-road maintenance allotment to corporation to adjust water bill arrears of civic body. Moreover, KWA was required to deposit around Rs 60 lakh for carrying out various works, but the authority didn't pay it to corporation. It was without deducting these amounts that KWA put the bills, including arrears, at Rs 167 crore. All these issues were discussed during the meeting. KWA was charging bills for 5,445 public water taps in the city. At the same time, there is a dispute over the manner in which KWA is calculating water bills. "In the past few years, actual number of public water taps in the city has come down as more households are using individual water connections and need for public water taps has decreased. Still, KWA calculated bills based on the old number. The authority lacks proof to substantiate their claim that there are 5,445 in the city. All these issues were brought to the attention of KWA. This might be the reason for KWA writing off water bill arrears till March 31, 2025," said corporation UDF parliamentary party secretary M G Aristotle. A couple of years ago, KWA and corporation conducted a joint inspection to identify actual number of public water taps in the city. It was then found that number of public water taps in the city had dipped by more than 50%.
Time of India
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Opposition councillors in Kochi corporation to intensify protests against move to pave tiles on Metro medians
Kochi: Opposition councillors in the Kochi corporation are set to intensify their protest against KMRL's move to pave tiles on the road medians along the Metro line. The councillors have decided to raise the issue at the next council meeting. According to the councillors, KMRL has been constantly violating the conditions set while receiving approval from the govt. "During the inception of construction, KMRL promised that the Metro would be as eco-friendly as possible. Hundreds of trees were felled for the construction. Then, KMRL's version was that they would plant more saplings than the number of trees cut down. They stated in the detailed project report (DPR) that measures would be taken to make Kochi greener. But nothing concrete has happened in this regard," said M G Aristotle, secretary, UDF parliamentary party in the corporation. "Now, they have decided to pave tiles on the medians. It will add to the waterlogging in the city. Moreover, the plan will destroy thousands of flowering plants now being grown on the median. If KMRL does not back out from the project, we will intensify the strike," he added. On Monday, the councillors planted some flowering plants on the median as a mark of protest against the move to pave tiles. T J Vinod, MLA, planted the first sapling as part of the protest.
