Several police vehicles in bad condition

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The capital city’s police jeeps cut a sorry figure inside the Assembly on Tuesday with K Muraleedharan MLA pointing out that jeeps, and some motorcycles, in three of the busy police stations were damaged. ‘’If this is the case in the capital city, how would it be in the rural areas?’’ he asked, while presenting a submission on the inadequate infrastructure in the state’s police stations. According to Muraleedharan, two jeeps and a motorcycle at the Peroorkada police station were damaged, while Vattiyoorkavu had two dead jeeps.  ‘’The Museum police station also had two such jeeps - even on a hartal day,’’ he said. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, replying to the submission, admitted that many police stations in the state had vehicles that were out of order. The jeeps in the three stations were old, dating back to 2002 and 2007. ‘’We’ve been receiving complaints regarding the poor condition of the vehicles. The state government will take steps to sanction new vehicles to the busy police stations,’’ Chandy said. ZOO DEATHSMuseums and Zoos Minister P K Jayalakshmi told the Assembly that all the 52 deaths that occurred in the city zoo this year were due to natural causes. In a written reply on Monday, Jayalakshmi said that since January and up to September 30, 52 animals and birds have died in the city zoo. As many as 21 animals, 11 reptiles and 20 birds have died during this period, she said. There are no certified wildlife medicine experts in the zoos at present. Veterinary surgeons from the Animal Husbandry Department are being deputed to the zoos.MORE BUSES FOR CITYThiruvananthapuram will soon get ten more AC low-floor buses and eight more semi low-floor buses, Transport Minister V S Sivakumar said. At present, Thiruvananthapuram has 20 AC low-floor buses and 110 semi low-floor buses.