The new council of the Kozhikode Corporation will give utmost priority to waste management and take steps to solve related issues by the end of its term, Mayor Beena Philip has said.
Meeting the press officially for the first time after taking charge as the new Mayor, Ms. Philip applauded the efforts taken by the previous council in the matter and said the projects that could not be completed by the last council would be taken forward. The council would come up with a city hygiene protocol in 100 days, she said.
“Most of our solid waste management issues will be solved with the completion of the waste-to-energy plant at Njeliyanparamba. But, the public should cooperate with and be part of the Corporation’s efforts to ensure proper waste collection and disposal,” she said. The Corporation had to earn the people’s trust before going ahead with the sewage treatment plant project, she added. “Depositing toilet waste on roadsides during late hours has become a daily occurrence in the city. We do not have any facility to treat it, though not for the lack of effort from the local body. We face stiff opposition from local people wherever such plants are planned,” said Ms. Philip.
Responding to a query on parking issues, the Mayor said the proposed parking plazas alone would not be able to solve the problem. The Corporation was on the lookout for spaces on roadsides where parking facilities could be made available and the city traffic police was studying the issue.
Deputy Mayor C.P. Musafir Ahamed said the Corporation office would be made more public-friendly and corruption-free. He blamed excessive intervention by the media and vested political interests for the non-completion of several projects. He said the bus terminus at the medical college would be completed during the term of the present council.