Deputy Mayor K.R. Premakumar has alleged that the State government is adopting a step-motherly attitude towards the Kochi Corporation.

Replying to a debate at the corporation council meeting on Wednesday, Mr. Premakumar said the government had denied the civic body permission to take an overdraft from banks to clear the bills of contractors. Repeated attempts by the corporation to secure permission failed. However, it is mobilising its own resources to partly clear the bills, and ₹5 crore will be paid to the contractors in the first week of September, he said.

Incidentally, the contractors are on a strike demanding clearance of bills.

The Deputy Mayor unleashed an attack on the Corporation Secretary for what he termed as “red-tape approach” of the official. “The lethargic attitude of the official has been slowing down welfare activities of the civic body. He has also been causing unwarranted obstructions and threatening some corporation officials. The official is unfit to hold the post. However, the civic body will overcome all obstacles and discharge its duties,” he said.

V.P. Chandran, LDF leader in the council, said the corporation had not cared to improve its performance after taking into consideration the reports of the Local Fund Audit wing. Despite the reports pointing out flaws in the system, the civic authorities have not been willing to rectify them.

K.J. Antony of the CPI(M) said the Mayor had lost her moral right to continue in office. The Kerala High Court had repeatedly reprimanded the civic administration for its various acts and deeds, he added.

A.B. Sabu, K.J. Prakash, Kunjachan, and Shyamala S. Prabhu were among those who took part in the debate.

Earlier, the LDF councillors exhibited placards inside the meeting hall and at the portico of the building, demanding the resignation of Mayor Soumini Jain and the Deputy Mayor for what they termed as “failure of the civic administration in addressing the needs of the city.”

Council passes agenda for returning security deposit to contractor

The controversial agenda for returning the security deposit to the contractor of Rajeev Avas Yojana housing project was passed by the council through voting which was held late in the evening. The council decided to put the agenda for voting after the LDF asked for a head count. While the ruling front polled 23 votes, including the casting vote of the Mayor, the LDF polled 21 votes.

The council meeting was held at the Ernakulam Town Hall, probably the first such meeting held outside the corporation office since the formation of the civic body. The venue of the meeting was shifted to the town hall in line with the physical distancing norms suggested by the Health authorities.