Kochi: It was just the other day Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan mentioned the menace of civets at Ministers’ residences, including his official residence--Cliff House. He also said that the renovation ideas of these residences are met with apprehensions as they are quite old. 

Nevertheless, data indicates that a total of Rs 7.91 crore has been spent on renovation works in these official residences. That is, a sum of over Rs 8 lakh per month has been spent on the same. The question in the limelight is why the renovation measures failed to curb the civet menace.

As per the data received through the RTI process by human rights activist K N Haridasan, an amount of Rs 2,18,16,406.29 has been spent since May 20, 2016, for the renovation works of Cliff House alone. Rs 60.71 lakh has been spent on other construction works. 

A change of curtains in the Cliff House costed Rs 12.14 lakh, whereas the renovation of the Cliff House swimming pool costed over Rs 38 lakh. Change of curtains in other official residences costed around Rs 32.82 lakhs.