Latest news with #RebuildKeralaInitiative
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Minor flooding raises concerns in Kalamassery amid delayed canal renovation project
Kochi: Incessant rains triggered minor flooding in Kalamassery on Sunday morning, with water entering at least five houses on VR Thankappan Road. Though water receded following a break in the downpour, locals remain anxious about the possibility of repeated flooding as monsoon continues. Athulya K N, a local and schoolteacher, said they face this ordeal every year. "Due to last night's heavy rain, water entered our homes again. Though it has now receded, we are busy cleaning up. This is a recurring issue," she said. She added that during such instances, normal life comes to a standstill, often forcing families to move to relief camps or seek shelter with relatives. Locals expressed frustration that repeated promises by authorities to address the issue have gone unfulfilled. A Rs 14.5 crore drainage project under Rebuild Kerala Initiative was approved by state govt last year. The project includes construction of a 1.96km-long canal, Pottachal, considered vital for proper drainage in the area. Although the plan received administrative sanction, no visible progress was made. Haritha residents' association president V P Siyad blamed the inaction on political differences between Congress-led municipality and LDF-led state govt. "The project is stuck in limbo due to political conflicts. Meanwhile, ordinary people continue to suffer," he said, urging authorities to act without further delay.
The Hindu
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Official apathy behind stalled Kallakkuttykudy bridge project, says Idukki MP
Despite the swift sanctioning of ₹3.6 crore under the Rebuild Kerala Initiative (RKI) for a crucial bridge and road to Kallakkuttykudy, a tribal hamlet in Mankulam panchayat in Idukki, official indifference and contractor inaction have brought the project to a standstill. Approved on June 7, 2024, with a completion deadline of May 16, 2025, not a single brick has been laid — leaving the tribal community stranded yet again. While authorities resort to mere notices, questions arise over accountability in a project. According to sources, official apathy is behind the stalling of the dream project of the local community. According to local residents, the concrete bridge connecting the Kallakkuttykudy tribal settlement to the outside world was washed away by the devastating flood in August 2018. Afterwards, during rainy seasons, the tribal community would make temporary bamboo bridge so that the children could go to school. Idukki MP Dean Kuriakose blamed the Devikulam block panchayat, saying that he had allotted ₹20 lakh for the bridge and the block panchayat opposed it. Mr. Kuriakose alleged that the failure of the bridge project is tied to the apathy of the State government. '₹20 lakh had been allotted. But the officials blocked the administrative sanction for the project,' said Mr. Kuriakose. Under RKI Meanwhile, Devikulam block panchayat secretary Sunil Sebastian said that Mr. Kuriakose sent a proposal for the project on February 28, 2023. Based on the proposal, the block panchayat conducted an estimate for the project, and the estimated cost was ₹49.9 lakh. 'The project later changed to a footbridge, and administrative sanction was received from the district planning officer on June 19, 2023. After being approached about the final sanction from the district panchayat, it was revealed that the project was included under the RKI project. Based on the direction, the project was cancelled on January 25, 2024,' said Mr. Sebastian. The official further stated that the block panchayat never opposed the project and had completed all paperwork. Meanwhile, Vishnukumar G., project director of the Project Management Unit (PMU) of RKI, Thiruvananthapuram, stated that the government allotted ₹3.6 crore for the construction of a bridge and road in the Kallakkuttykudy tribal settlement. 'With this, ₹1.5 crore has been allotted for the construction work of the 32.46-metre-long and 4.5-metre-wide bridge. The contractor signed an agreement for the project on June 7, 2024, and the site was handed over for construction on June 17, 2024. The completion period was fixed at 11 months.' The official further stated that the contractor failed to commence construction work, and the RKI issued repeated notices to the contractor. 'After completing the agreement period, the RKI is to recover losses from the contractor's responsibility. The project will be re-tendered and rearranged,' said Mr. Vishnukumar.
Time of India
08-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Digital resurvey set to miss deadline
T'puram: Three years into Kerala's most ambitious land governance reform to date, the state's digital resurvey project aimed at digitally mapping all land parcels across 1,550 villages remains only partially realised, with completion hovering around one-third of the total target. According to documents prepared by the survey and land records department, accessed by TOI, a total of 639 villages were taken up under the first three phases but survey activities were completed in only a fraction of them. In terms of area, the resurvey covered just over 4.09 lakh hectares of the estimated 10.3 lakh hectares planned across all phases. This flagship initiative, launched under the Rebuild Kerala Initiative with a projected outlay of Rs 858cr, is being implemented using advanced technologies, including drones, RTK rovers, robotic total stations and GIS-enabled platforms all aimed at resolving long-standing issues of boundary conflicts and outdated land records. Yet the journey to this point was anything but straightforward. The first resurvey attempt in the state in 1966 was left incomplete and the second attempt in 1996 too was abandoned current initiative was framed by learning from the past failures, with institutional reforms and inter-departmental mechanisms built in to avoid previous pitfalls. The project was formally rolled out in three stages. The first phase of 200 villages began on Nov 1, 2022, followed by a second phase, also comprising 200 villages, which was launched in Oct 2023. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Forget Furosemide, Use This Household Item To Help Drain Edema Fluid WellnessGuide Learn more Undo A third phase involving an additional 200 villages was initiated subsequently. Of the 639 villages across these three phases, only 99 villages from the second phase and six from the third reached the milestone of publishing Section 9(2) notifications under the Survey Boundaries Act, indicating completion of the critical verification and public display stages. District-level performance reveals a highly uneven landscape. Thrissur leads the state with surveys completed in 60 of 130 villages, while Kannur completed 40 of its 95 villages. In other districts like Ernakulam, Kollam, and Kottayam, about one-third of villages were covered. However, progress in Wayanad and Idukki remains low, at just 20% and 21% respectively. Thiruvananthapuram completed surveys in only 35 of the 120 villages. Malappuram, Kozhikode, Palakkad, and Kasaragod also fall below the state average in terms of completion rate, pointing to delays that may stem from local terrain challenges, staffing shortages, or coordination issues. While the govt succeeded in fully deploying all survey machinery — including 1,500 RTK units and 200 RTS devices procured through a six-lot tender — workforce mobilisation remains incomplete. Out of the proposed 1,593 surveyors and 2,500 helpers to be hired on contract, only 1,338 surveyors and 1,967 helpers were brought on board so far. The rest are being recruited in phases through the employment exchange system. With only 105 villages reaching a critical publication stage, the mission remains at a crucial midway point. At the current pace, the digital resurvey is in all likelihood set to miss its target. The goal of completing all 1,550 villages by Nov 1, 2026, appears increasingly unrealistic and may remain a distant dream unless drastic course corrections are made.
The Hindu
23-05-2025
- The Hindu
Alappuzha District Collector warns of strict action as FSTP sees low usage
Despite making the district's first Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant (FSTP) at Anatharaveli in Cherthala operational, the illegal dumping of toilet waste along roadsides and into waterbodies continues unabated in Alappuzha. District Collector Alex Varghese says toilet waste from the district should be transported to the FSTP for scientific processing. He warns of strict action, including fines, against those illegally collecting and dumping waste in violation of the law. The FSTP has a capacity to treat 250 kilolitres of waste per day. However, currently, only 2–3 loads are being processed daily. 'A total of 68 tankers are registered with the Cherthala municipality for toilet waste collection, but only eight of them have delivered loads to the plant so far,' the District Collector said. Mr. Varghese has directed the police and the Regional Transport Officer (RTO) to collect details about the remaining vehicles and where they are transporting their loads. He has also directed that action be taken against vehicles collecting waste illegally. Register via app Residents have been asked to register for septic tank cleaning services through the Chelotha Cherthala app or at Akshaya centres to ensure that household septic waste is scientifically treated at the plant instead of being dumped by the roadside. Officials say legal action will also be initiated against individuals who contact tanker owners to dispose of septic waste illegally. 'If vehicles are caught dumping waste on roadsides or in waterbodies, legal action will be taken against both the person who handed over the waste and the vehicle. A fine of up to ₹25,000 will also be imposed,' says an official. People can register for the service by visiting or by contacting- 7356812811. The Cherthala municipality opened the FSTP two months ago. It was constructed by the civic body on a parcel of land in Thaneermukkom grama panchayat, which is under the possession of the municipality, at a cost of ₹7.33 crore under the Rebuild Kerala Initiative. The plant, according to officials, is operated based on the Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor technology, which recycles toilet waste and converts solid waste into fertiliser. The FSTP was established at a time when the district was facing severe environmental and water pollution issues due to the lack of scientific septage treatment systems. The Mumbai-based company that built the FSTP has signed an agreement with the civic body to maintain the plant for 10 years. Rate charged by the municipality (amount payable by tankers to the plant in brackets) Up to 5,000 litres - ₹4,000 (₹1,000) Between 5,000 - 6,000 litres - ₹5,000 (₹1,000) Between 6,000- 8,000 litres - ₹6,000 (₹1,500) Between 8,000- 15,000 litres- ₹8,000 (₹2,000)
