Irregularities in wayside amenities centres deal: Ramesh

Thiruvananthapuram: Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala alleged that the government is trying to hand over the contract for construction of wayside amenities on government land to private individuals without fair criteria.
Chennithala said the government inducted two individuals – OV Musthafa and Baju George Parappad – in the company Overseas Keralites Investment Holding Pvt Ltd, in which 74% of shares are held by non-resident Keralites and 26% by the government. He said that Musthafa is a director in 14 companies and government should reveal the criteria for choosing the two new directors in the company.
The company had reached an agreement with Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) for coming up with wayside amenities in August 2019. Government chose Alappuzha, Ernakulam and Wayanad to launch the first three wayside units.
Chennithala said that in Alappuzha, government earmarked 2-4 acres from Steel Industries Kerala and Norka department has, in principle, given permission to come up with wayside amenities centre on this land. He said government has minority shares in the company and that it is facilitating a process whereby its land will go into the hands of private players.
He said that the government’s original move was through PWD and revenue department – which is the actual custodian of the government land – was not aware of the move and it then had taken a strong exception to the move. Chennithala said he had raised the matter in the assembly with proof: a letter by revenue minister E Chandrasekharan, who had taken a stand against PWD move in this regard.
The opposition leader, while seeking the memorandum of understanding with IOC in this regard, demanded that the revenue minister must come up with his opinion on this project. He also asked if the matter had secured a clearance from the cabinet, and why the project is not being handed over to IOC despite the firm expressing interest to undertake the project.