Mayor's gown torn amid unruly scenes

KOCHI: The Kochi Corporation Council witnessed unruly scenes on Tuesday after a woman councillor tried to stop Mayor Soumini Jain by pulling her gown. The incident took place at the post-budget meeting convened in the Council Hall for approving the annual budget.

The Mayor was about to leave her chair after having declared the budget as approved when  the LDF councillor Sunila Selvan tried to stop her by pulling the gown. The Mayor, however, freed herself from Sunila and rushed to her chamber. The ruling front councillors soon guarded the door of the chamber, preventing the Opposition councillors from entering the chamber. Later, the Mayor filed a complaint with the Ernakulam Central Police. Sunila later told reporters she had spoken to the Mayor and reached a settlement.

Amidst wide protest from the Opposition, the annual budget of the Kochi Corporation was approved by the Council. The Opposition councillors shouted slogans and tried to disrupt the Deputy Mayor's speech. They alleged the Mayor was not ready to reassess the tax reformation. The Mayor said the Corporation will approach the government to reinstate the Advertisement and Entertainment Tax which the Corporation has lost after the introduction of GST.

No opposition was raised against the budget recommendation to levy a sub tax of 10 per cent on building tax. The Mayor also approved the suggestion by the Opposition councillors to exempt houses under 460 sq ft from the sub tax. Special facilities will be arranged for the physically challenged at the government offices in the city, the Mayor declared.

"The Welfare Standing Committee was instructed to ensure safety measures for the physically challenged and specially-abled people at all government offices. The Health Standing Committee was asked to conduct a detailed study into the project submitted by K N Panicker for ending the mosquito menace in the city," Soumini Jain said.

The Opposition councillors intensified their protest soon after the Mayor began the speech seeking approval of the budget. Opposition councillor V P Chandran said the budget did not include the government directive to incorporate the annual projects approved by the District Planning Commission. "Hence, there is no legal validity for the budget," said Chandran.

In his reply, Deputy Mayor T J Vinodh said the budget was prepared as per the rules and regulations listed in the Municipal Act."The common practice is to devise projects in tune with the budget and to seek approval in the Council. We have followed that this time too," Vinodh said. His reply invited more protests from the Opposition, even as the Mayor was declaring the budget approval.