THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Mayor K. Chandrika will convene a meeting of contractors, coastal wards' councillors and Kerala Water Authority (KWA) officials early next month in a bid to expedite work on the Muttathara Sewage Treatment Plant project.

The Rs.80-crore Sewage Treatment Plant (STP), being jointly set up by the city Corporation and Kerala Water Authority, was to be completed by October this year. However, frequent disruption of work, shortage of supplies and payment issues between the main contractors, the New Delhi-based UEM Company, and the sub-contractors, KGN Construction Company, had led to delay in commissioning of the project.

Valiyathura ward councillor Tony Oliver said that only around 12 per cent of the work had been completed so far. “Due to issues between the main contractors, the first sub-contractor, the Ernakulam-based PGCC company, had left the project mid-way. Now what we understand is that the new sub-contractors are also facing difficulties in getting supplies and payment on time,” he said.

Following an adjournment motion moved by Mr. Oliver at the first meeting of the newly elected Corporation council earlier this month, Mayor Chandrika visited the plant recently and decided to convene a meeting of stakeholders in the second week of January, 2011.

She also informed the council that the Corporation had asked the contractors to complete at least 50 per cent of the works by March 31, 2011.

A spokesperson of KGN company said apart from shortage of cement and materials, incessant rain in previous months had also disrupted the project works. He said the contractors were now planning to increase the plant capacity and re-do the design of the plant.