Mulavukadu to get new water tank

KOCHI: The Goshree Islands Development Authority (GIDA) has decided to allot funds for the construction of a new water tank in Mulavukadu Panchayat.The decision in this regard was taken at the  general council meeting of the GIDA, held in the city the other day. Observing that the existing tank in Mulavukadu is nearly 60 years old and in a dilapidated state, the authorities said that the new tank will be constructed soon to deal with the acute water shortage faced by the residents. The meeting also decided to  divert `50 lakh, originally allocated to the housing projects in various panchayats in Goshree Islands, for the construction of roads.The meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and attended by Ernakulam  District Collector P I Sheikh Pareeth, Union Minister of State for Food and Civil Supplies K V Thomas, Mayor Tony Chammany, district panchayat president Eldhose Kunnappilly and MLAs from the district.The meeting also officially entrusted the construction of four bridges in the Moolampilly-Chathanad stretch with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). Out of the total amount allotted for the project, eight per cent will be given as department level fees for the DMRC. Earlier, E Sreedharan, the chief advisor of the DMRC, who visited the project  had given his in-principle nod for undertaking the task. Another major decision taken at the meeting was the in-principle nod for the construction of a new bridge between Korunkkotta island and Vaduthala. The total project cost is estimated at  ` 7 crore. K V Thomas has already allocated ` 2.5 crore from his MP Fund for the project, while Hibi Eden MLA will give ` 50 lakh from his fund. Sheik Pareeth, who is also the chairman of the GIDA, said that the rest of the amount for the project will be raised from other agencies.With a majority of the MLAs raising complaints about the lackadaisical attitude of the Kerala Water Authority in completing the drinking water projects, the Chief Minister has decided to convene an urgent meeting in Thiruvananthapuram on June 13.