Mosquitoes, stray dogs and waste trigger heated exchanges in Kochi Corporation Council
Opposition cites failure of 50-day action plan and Animal Birth Control programme; UDF questions credibility of data on soaring dengue cases; ₹24-crore annual burden of waste management systems comes under scrutiny
The recent Kochi Corporation council meeting saw intense debates between the opposition and ruling parties regarding mosquito control, stray dog problems, and the city's waste management systems. LDF parliamentary leader V.A. Sreejith highlighted the increase in dengue cases, criticizing the UDF-led Corporation for not addressing the mosquito issue despite their 50-day action plan.
The ruling councillor P.V. Chandran countered, disputing the reported rise in dengue cases and stating that the official number was lower than the previous year. LDF councillor K.J. Basil expressed concerns over the stray dog menace, particularly in West Kochi, warning that the situation would worsen if immediate action wasn't taken.
Opposition parties blamed the Animal Birth Control program's failure for the increasing stray dog population, attributing it to people feeding strays in public areas. UDF councillor Henry Austin pointed out that the previous LDF council had left the Corporation with ineffective waste management systems, costing nearly ₹24 crore annually.
He criticized the CBG plant, which treats only 50 tonnes of waste per day, and the Black Soldier Fly facilities, which cost ₹9 crore annually without properly handling waste. He urged the Corporation to replace the current system with a more cost-effective solution.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
