Plastic waste to be used for surfacing roads

Thiruvananthapuram: Public Works Minister G. Sudhakaran said in the Assembly on Monday government proposed to lay 100 km of roads using plastic waste mixed with bitumen.

The Minister informed the House in response to a question from C. F. Thomas (Kerala Congress-M) that 24.5 kilometers of roads in the state have been constructed using plastic waste.

An organisation ‘Clean Kerala’ has consented to collect and provide plastic waste for this purpose. The bitumen is mixed with 6 to 8 % plastic for road construction, he said.

Compensation for land
Compensation for land acquired for widening of national highways will be provided as per provisions of the new law—Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, said the Minster  in reply to the question raised by C. Divakaran (CPI).

The compensation would be two to four times the highest price of the land registered nearby, the Minister said. Requests by public for restoration of houses, places of worship and business centres would be considered by the Government on a case by case basis.

District collectors are made the competent authority to look into complaints regarding all compensations and acquisition under the Act.  

KSRTC appointments
The KSRTC will make 1562 appointments from the current PSC list before this year end, Minister A. K. Saseendran informed the House, responding to the question raised by A. N. Shamseer (CPI-M). 

This will include appointments of 255 drivers, 827 conductors and 388 junior assistants, he said.