The anti-plastic campaign of the Kochi Corporation, which was shelved following the recent fire at Brahmapuram solid waste plant site, may be re-introduced shortly. Even as the civic authorities vow to curb the use of plastic carry bags in its third attempt, the corporation seemed to be ill-equipped to restrain the menace.

Originally, the corporation had planned to impose the ban on use of plastic carry bags below 40 micron from March 1. It was also planning to undertake extensive campaigns in the city against the use of plastic bags from the first week of March.

PUNE: The much-delayed Pune metro rail project got a funding of Rs 10.01 crore in the Union Budget on Thursday. The Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal corporations, that have proposed the project in association with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, have already made provisions in their respective budgets for the year 2013-14.

The budgetary head, 'Pune Metro', figures in the list of projects of the urban development department for the first time this year in budget. The total funding of Rs 10.01 crore has been bifurcated into three components.

The budget proposal to aid local bodies in taking up waste-to-energy projects in public-private partnership mode is expected to improve urban waste management in Kochi and other cities.

Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram had proposed “to support municipalities implementing waste-to-energy projects by offering viability gap funding, repayable grant and low-cost capital”.

Sets Apart 70% Of Land As Open Space

Kochi: With the master plan of the SmartCity project entering the final phase, the project seems to be turning more green. If the first draft proposed 40% open space, Smart-City authorities have asked designers to set apart 70% of the project land for open space in the final plan. According to sources, the SmartCity authorities want the project to be an eco- friendly one. “The project would have received environmental clearance even if 30 to 40% of the project land is open space. But our decision is to provide 70% open space so that the project would be more environmental friendly,” top officials of the project said

The onslaught of drought and the alleged shortage of pumping time have put the residents of Fort Kochi in dire straits with the area reeling under acute water shortage for the past few weeks.

The situation has worsened during the past few days, said Fort Kochi councillor Antony Kureethara, who presented the issue at the Corporation Council.
The irregularity in pumping time was the reason behind the acute water shortage in areas like Chirattapalam, Pattalam and Kunnumpuram, the councillor said. “Currently, water is only being pumped for one-and-a-half hours each in the morning and evening. Most of the time, sufficient water is not pumped, thanks to load shedding. Despite frequent reminders to the Kerala Water Authority officials, the situation remains unsolved,” he said.

KOCHI: The general council of Goshree Islands Development Authority (GIDA) held in Kochi on Tuesday decided to entrust the construction of the Rs 97-crore Chathanad-Moolampilly road with the Kerala State Construction Corporation (KSCC). GIDA had earlier planned to give the project to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation ( DMRC).

The project is expected to ease the movement of vehicles from Vallarpadam to NH 17 at Paravoor.

Members of the Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam affiliated to the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Wednesday prevented Gas Authority of India Limited authorities from laying pipeline to take natural gas from Kochi to Bangalore via Dharmapuri, at Yelagiri here.

The pipeline is being laid across seven districts in Tamil Nadu viz. Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode, Namakkal, Salem, Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri. An office-bearer of the association said that based on a case filed by farmers, the Supreme Court had instructed the State Government to convene the Collectors’ meeting and find out an amicable solution.

The Kochi Corporation will soon entrust an agency with the preparation of the detailed project report (DPR) for the Solar City project which aims at making Kochi the first solar city in the state. The civic body had already invited an Expression of Interest (EoI) from the agencies that will undertake the DPR preparation.

“We expect to award the work by this month. The Solar City project is implemented with the financial aid mainly from the Central Government. The DPR preparation, which is expected to cost `10 lakh, and the fund for this will be fully provided by the centre.

Two Four-Lane Highways Connecting Karimugal & MC Road Planned

Kochi:With work on the longdelayed SmartCity gathering steam, areas east of Kochi, including Kizhakkambalam, Muvattupuzha, Perumbavoor, Kolenchery and Kothamangalam, among others, will get a huge development push. Three four-lane highways have been proposed by the public works department (PWD) from the project site to ensure smooth access to SmartCity. Two of these have been proposed on the eastern side of the project area.

Kochi: The Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) will focus on addressing transport issues in the upcoming budget.

Briefing the media on pre-budget discussions in Kochi on Monday, GCDA chairman N Venugopal said that various transport projects, including the ring road and water transport projects, would be given importance in the budget. GCDA will send a letter to the state government requesting that the development body be made the nodal agency for coordinating various water transport proejcts in Kochi.