THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Envisaging a holistic development and promising an in-situ rehabilitation for the residents, the City Corporation has finalised the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the improvement of Mathipuram colony in Vizhinjam to pilot the slum development project under RAY (Rajiv Awas Yojana). Library-cum-study centres, fish processing unit, decentralised waste management system and eco-friendly physical boundaries mark the highlights of the slum development in Mathipuram which puts the cost at an estimate of Rs 83.2 crore and proposes to build 985 dwelling units. According to Mayor K Chandrika, the Corporation has submitted the DPR to the Kudumbashree Mission which is the nodal agency for RAY in the state. “We have time up to October 15 to submit the DPR to the Centre,” she said. It is the COSTFORD which was entrusted with the preparation of the DPR. One of the major proposals in the report is the in-situ development along with rehabilitation. It says that the proposed site for rehabilitation is adjacent to the existing location, thereby nullifying the chance of any sort of disturbance to the livelihood pattern here. The DPR states that detailed surveys were held to learn about the topographical, socio-economic and engineering aspects of Mathipuram colony. The library-cum-study centres have been designed as a place for children to drop in and study during night hours as the ambience in their homes may not be conducive for learning. It could also take up the role of counselling centres for adolescents. Since the Mathipuram colony is a fishermen colony, a fish processing unit and a dry fish unit have been envisaged. The report says that the units could be set up under the guidance of the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) and the Fisheries Department, which has set up a similar unit in Kollam. Value-added products could be sold, generating income for the residents. It also proposes to set up biogas units, the residue of which could be sent to a sewage treatment plant and generate fuel which could, in turn, be converted to electric power, to light up common areas in the dwellings. It also plans to use bamboo and eco-friendly shrubs to demarcate the boundaries. The report says that “the proposals integrate all aspects to create a people and environment friendly design. They are intended in the long run to help the residents supplement and maintain by themselves a healthy environment in a sustainable manner.” RAY has been introduced by the Centre with the aim of creating ‘slum-free India’ by encouraging states to tackle the problem of slums in a definitive manner in select cities in India.
Comments
0 comment