The Kozhikode Municipal Corporation has urged the Union government to withdraw the hike in the price of cooking gas as it is an added burden to the common people.
An adjournment motion to this effect was moved by CPI(M) councillor M.M. Padmavathi at the Corporation council meeting here on Wednesday. She termed the hike anti-people.
Criticising the Union government for its proposed sale of public sector enterprises, demonetisation and introduction of GST that allegedly crippled the economy, Ms. Padmavathi alleged that the Centre had a step-motherly attitude towards Kerala.
In the discussions that followed, Congress councillor Vidya Balakrishnan said those Bharatiya Janata Party leaders who had vehemently opposed the nominal hike in petrol and cooking gas prices a few years ago had nothing to say about the present hike.
LJD councillor P. Kishenchand said the increase in LPG prices was a pre-runner to the sale of the Indian Oil Corporation and that it was intended to help the corporates that were to take over the company.
However, BJP floor leader Nambidi Narayanan maintained the stand that the LPG rates were revised timely and that the increase did not affect those who received subsidies. On the other hand, those who had given up their subsidies understood the situation and would not mind paying the price, he added.
Price of hotel food
Later, Independent councillor Mohammed Shameel called the council’s attention towards the exorbitant prices being charged by some restaurants for basic food. He said the restaurants did not exhibit their prices for all customers to see and this led to the customers walking into a trap. He demanded that there should be some sort of regulation for the pricing.
Corporation Secretary Binu Francis answered that a bylaw to this effect was under the consideration of the State government. IUML councillor C. Abdurahiman said the issue should be sorted out through a meeting with the representatives of the hotel and restaurants association.
Building tax
The council discussed the confusions regarding the revised building tax and decided to strengthen the help desk to handle the issues brought in by the public in this regard.
Councillor Satheesh Kumar raised the issue of discontinued breakfast scheme in some schools, which, Education standing committee chairman M. Radhakrishnan said, was to be revived as soon as the treasury ban was lifted.
Water connection
The need for an ownership certificate to get drinking water connection under the JICA Project was brought in by CPI(M) councillor Mullaveettil Moideen.
The council decided to request the State government to relax the clause and provide water connections based on residency certificates and ration cards, just like the electricity connections.