At what was possibly the Kochi Corporation’s last general council meeting before the local body elections are declared, the ruling and opposition fronts traded charges over the council’s performance.
The council has gifted the city a ‘disaster’ in the past five years, and had no achievements to show, according to Opposition councillors. “The e-governance and city gas projects could not be implemented, and funds received from the State and Union governments were either squandered or left unspent,” said V.P. Chandran, LDF parliamentary party secretary.
“Launching new projects aside, even existing projects were killed. The Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY) housing project ran into hurdles with the cost estimate, and the project for a sewage system in West Kochi could not be implemented,” said Poornima Narayan, LDF councillor and Chairperson, Standing Committee for Education.
Contractors, citing non-payment of dues, had been on strike for two months now, the corporation had not been able to move to its new office, and the dumpyard at Brahmapuram remained in a sorry state, the Opposition pointed out while drawing up a list of the ruling front’s failures.
“We could have governed well. But the council lost its balance two years into its term of office,” said Opposition leader K.J. Antony.
Put on the defensive, UDF councillors, pointed fingers at the State government. “The State government’s step-motherly treatment towards the Kochi Corporation has meant that appointments to the post of Secretary, health officer and estate manager have still not been made,” said Deputy Mayor K.R. Premakumar.
‘Achievements’
Mayor Soumini Jain, in turn, listed the completion of work on pavements, parks including the Koyithara park, the progress of work under the Smart Cities Mission, the resumption of work on the RAY housing tower, and the construction of houses under the PMAY-LIFE project as achievements of the council.
The contractors’ strike was politically motivated, she said, since they had already been paid the promised amount of ₹5 crore, despite the corporation having struggled to meet even its daily expenses.
With this meeting likely to be the council’s last chance to take decisions, over 220 matters were presented for its clearance on the main agenda.
Nod to dig roads
The corporation has given its approval to Indian Oil-Adani Gas Private Limited to ‘dig and restore’ roads for piped natural gas supply within city limits.
As bank guarantee, 10% of the restoration cost will be deposited with the civic administration. UDF councillor A.B. Sabu raised apprehensions about handing the restoration of dug-up roads to the company, and suggested that a mechanism be put in place to ensure time-bound restoration. The Mayor said that the roads would be handed over based on conditions and clauses that ensured restoration without inconvenience.
The corporation has also decided to provide land deeds to around 54 families living in GCDA colony at Thuruthy.
