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District Collector Snehil Kumar Singh has directed officials to initiate steps to obtain technical sanction for the West Hill STP project in Kozhikode, Kerala, amid protests from residents and the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe Protection Committee. The direction was issued at a meeting attended by officials from the Kozhikode Corporation, District Suchitwa Mission, State Pollution Control Board, and the Local Self-Government department.
The project has sparked opposition from residents, who claim that the move to establish the STP in the Shanti Nagar colony area violates their constitutional rights. The Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe Protection Committee has said that the project is "illegal" and should not be implemented, and has threatened to oppose it both legally and through public protests.
West Hill Ward councillor K. Saritha has also raised concerns over the project, stating that the Corporation has not yet revealed the full details of the project, including the detailed project report. She has also expressed doubts over how the STP is proposed to operate and whether the treated water will be discharged into the sea.
The District Collector has also directed the Corporation to initiate tender proceedings to appoint a new contractor for the STP at the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital and to take action against the erring contractor. The Corporation has been directed to expedite follow-up procedures for the Sarovaram STP, which has received construction approval.
The Kozhikode Corporation is expected to proceed with the tender proceedings and technical sanction for the West Hill STP project, despite the ongoing opposition from residents and the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe Protection Committee. The Corporation secretary has been approached by the Shanti Nagar Residents Association with a complaint regarding the construction of the STP, and the matter is likely to be taken up for further discussion.