Kochi Corporation orders closure of five hotels on MG Road
The Hindu
Closure notices served on hotels for ‘irresponsibly dumping solid waste’ in violation of Solid Waste Management Rules; eateries told to set up sewage treatment plants
The Corporation has asked five hotels on MG Road to “temporarily stop functioning” for dumping solid waste into drains.
The civic body served notices to Street Menu, Tamar, Sona, Thal Kitchen and Ceylon hotels for “irresponsibly dumping solid waste without following” the licence rules of the Kochi Municipal Corporation and violating the Solid Waste Management Rules. The hotels were also asked to set up sewage treatment plants for treating waste water as specified in the Kerala Municipalities Act.
MG Road was heavily inundated during the rain that lashed city on Monday. Rainwater had entered many shops in the area, forcing traders to suspend business to clear floodwaters.
According to the closure notice issued to the hotels, a major reason for waterlogging in the MG Road area was dumping of solid waste into drains by restaurants, hotels, and eateries. Inspections during cleaning of clogged drains revealed that restaurants had been dumping solid waste into drains.
Meanwhile, the civic authorities said in a communication that they had decided to intensify flood mitigation measures in the wake of flooding on Monday. Accordingly, squads will be deployed and electric motors will be readied to pump out water that may enter shops and houses. Drains in the area will be regularly cleaned, said a communication from Mayor M. Anilkumar.
Meanwhile, UDF councillors demanded an emergency meeting of the Corporation council to discuss flooding.
Most parts of the city experienced heavy flooding during the last two days when it rained. The delay in completing the Mullassery canal project was to be blamed for flooding on MG road, said Antony Kureethara, leader of the Congress in the council. Traders on MG Road are facing heavy losses with floodwaters entering shops. The failure of the Corporation to de-silt Perandoor canal had caused flooding in Panampilly Nagar and Gandhi Nagar, he said.
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