Completion of Kollam-Kottappuram waterway by 2008: CM

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 5 (UNI) Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan today informed the Assembly that the government was expecting to complete the proposed waterway between Kollam and Kottappuram by the middle of 2008.

Replying to questions by Mr K C Rajagopalan and others, he said though the project was conceived quite long time back, it could not materialise so far because of certain objections raised by Chinese net owners and people residing on the banks of the channel.

Stating that the government was very keen to complete the project as the water route would be very profitable for cargo movements, he assured that his government would expedite measures to settle the issues amicably.

It would also provide alternative places to those who were affected with the project, he added.

The LDF government have the confidence to commission the project in time, though the previous governments had gone back from the project because of its complications, the Chief Minister said.

It had already entrusted the task of resolving the problems by asking the collector and officials concerned, to discuss the issue with the people, he claimed.

The government was also seriously considering to regularise the service of handicapped persons working in government offices as part of the golden jubilee celebrations of Kerala state formation, he said adding that it also proposed to release a book on the history of Kerala during the occasion.

UNI