Latest news with #T.J.Vinod
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Opposition up in arms over alleged discrepancies in draft electoral rolls
The Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are up in arms over the alleged discrepancies in the draft electoral rolls for the Kochi Corporation and the larger Ernakulam district published by the State Election Commission. This, they alleged, was a concerted effort in connivance with officials to set the ground in favour of the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)]. The UDF's Ernakulam MLA T.J. Vinod has petitioned the Chief Election Commissioner with copies to the District Collector and the Kochi Corporation secretary. He pointed out that hundreds of voters in many delimited wards had been erroneously included in the neighbouring wards and even in entirely different Assembly constituencies. In one such instance, 600-odd voters from 200-odd households in the Perumanoor division in the Ernakulam Assembly constituency were found included in the Panampilly Nagar division in the Thrikkakara Assembly constituency, Mr. Vinod said. 'The voters concerned are required to submit applications in Form 7 to resolve this mistake. It was practically difficult for 10,000-odd voters in the Ernakulam constituency alone to submit applications and then turn up for hearing in the short period allowed for the purpose. This amounted to violation of a citizen's right to cast vote,' he said. Voters have been given time till August 7 to apply to correct mistakes in the draft electoral rolls. This will be followed by hearings of petitioners, and the final list will be published by August 31. M.G. Aristotle, UDF parliamentary party leader in the Corporation, alleged that in the voter's list for the civic body, prepared based on building numbers, over 500 voters were listed under buildings numbered '0'. He said this undermined the very sanctity of the list and questioned how a building could be assigned the number '0' and how such buildings could be identified. 'There have also been instances where persons who were not members of the households in the relevant building numbers were shown as voters of those buildings. For instance, in my building number where only my mother and I reside, a stranger has been shown as a voter,' he said. P.S. Shaiju, chairperson of the BJP city district committee, alleged that in divisions and wards where the BJP had a good chance of victory, the party's voters had been handpicked and deliberately shifted to the list of other wards and divisions to sabotage the party's prospects. 'This has been done deliberately with the connivance of the officers. We have petitioned the Collector, who is also the District Election Officer, and unless a favourable decision is forthcoming by Monday (July 28, 2025), we will move the court,' he said.
Time of India
19-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Ernakulam KSRTC bus terminal project gets funding assurance from CSML
Kochi: Amid reports that the Ernakulam KSRTC bus terminal project has hit funding roadblock, hopes have been rekindled with Cochin Smart Mission Limited (CSML) informing the state govt that funds for the construction have already been earmarked. Recently, CSML board noted that fresh approval from the Union housing and urban affairs ministry is required to provide financial support to the project, as the deadline for Smart City projects officially ended in March 2025. The expiry of the deadline prompted a section of board members to demand fresh approval from the ministry. The state govt then sought clarification on whether CSML had earmarked funds before the cutoff. "If the agency hadn't allocated money, no fresh allocation would be possible since the project period ended in March. That's why the govt asked CSML if the funds were already set aside," said T.J. Vinod, MLA. In its response, CSML confirmed that Rs 12 crore had been earmarked for the terminal's construction. Now, only official clearance from the Union ministry is needed to use the funds as intended. The state govt has started preparing a formal request for this approval. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo "I've learned that the letter is ready. Once the concerned official returns from Delhi and signs it, the letter will be sent. We hope the issue will be resolved without much delay," Vinod added. The current KSRTC terminal near Karikkamuri in Kochi is in a severe state of disrepair. The old, crumbling structure offers poor amenities, unhygienic washrooms and limited passenger facilities, making it one of the most commuter-unfriendly terminals in the state. To revamp the facility, the Vyttila Mobility Hub Society (VMHS) signed an MoU with CSML and KSRTC for constructing a modern terminal based on the mobility hub model. The foundation stone was laid on Feb 24, 2024. CSML will provide funding, while VMHS will execute the construction. The land adjacent to the existing terminal, owned by KSRTC, will be handed over to VMHS for the project. However, ownership will remain with KSRTC. Waterlogging in the area has been a persistent issue. The govt tasked the Centre for Water Resources Development and Management with studying the site. Based on the findings, a high flood line (HFL) was marked. The site and surrounding roads will be elevated above the HFL before work begins.
The Hindu
22-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Kochi metro seeks help of BPCL, agri-horticulture society for greening medians
Faced with stiff opposition from socio-environmental and political activists to the proposal of Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) to cover medians beneath the Edappally-Thripunithura Pettah metro corridor with concrete paver blocks, the metro agency has sent a letter to Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL), seeking the oil major's help to develop green lungs along the 524 medians on the stretch. KMRL has also turned to the Ernakulam District Agri-Horticulture Society, seeking its expertise to plant the apt variety of plants atop the medians, which had over the past eight years become a dumping ground for waste and construction debris, it is learnt. In addition, the overgrowth of weeds had turned them into eyesores located at the centre of arterial roads. Making matters worse, the metro agency failed to live up to its assurance of readying a vertical garden every few metro pillars, sources said. KMRL sources said the agency was negotiating with BPCL on the oil major taking over the upkeep of the medians by planting saplings. 'On its part, the horticulture society has offered its help for the initiative, after Ernakulam MLA T.J. Vinod protested against the move to cover the medians with paver blocks,' they added. The metro agency had floated a tender earlier this year for the paver-block initiative, citing slack cooperation from a majority of shops and other commercial establishments that had initially agreed to sponsor the greening of the medians. 'Although a firm responded to the tender, we are awaiting the BPCL's reply to our letter on the greening project,' the sources added. In the meantime, BPCL sources said that, having received KMRL's recent letter, the agency was in the initial stage of deliberations with the metro agency on the initiative. The management would have to look at different aspects of the project, they added. In his letter to KMRL, Mr. Vinod had termed the metro agency's paver-block proposal as a blatant violation of its assurance to plant saplings atop the medians. The paver block project would only benefit mega advertisement agencies. Even before the metro's commissioning in 2017, KMRL had agreed in its contract with the Centre and the French lending agency to carry out a greening drive on the medians, and there is no justification for abandoning it. He added that the metro agency had overlooked the wide availability of an array of indigenous plants that needed little maintenance and watering, which the horticulture society had recommended. They would also lessen the metro's carbon footprint and the toll taken due to tens of hundreds of trees being cut down for the metro.
