A special council meeting of the Kochi Corporation will decide on the No Objection Certificate issued to a bar near Vyttila.
The decision had created a furore in the Kochi Corporation council as a few opposition and Congress councillors stiffly opposed the decision to issue the NoC to the bar earlier.
A few Congress councillors had vociferously opposed the decision at a meeting convened by the DCC president earlier. Mayor Tony Chammany conceded to the demands of his party colleagues at a meeting and offered to withdraw the clearance and give back the contribution made by the hotel to Mayor’s fund in lieu of the permission.
In his reply to the corporation council on Friday, Mr. Chammany said the matter was included in agenda of the Kochi Corporation without discussing it in the Steering Committee or Health Standing committee of the corporation as there was no such precedence.
Earlier, the Opposition councillors protested against the Mayor taking decisions without keeping the council informed on major issues. The certificate was issued according to the guidelines laid down by the Excise Department. Discussions were also held with the Opposition leader and the councillor representing the division in the council. The matter could not be discussed in the council held on March 12 as the council proceedings were disrupted following a protest from the opposition councillors, he said.
The Mayor assured the council that the applications for bar licence will be referred to the council only after obtaining the concurrence from the Health and Town Planning Standing committees. Deputy Mayor B. Bhadra suggested corrective measures in the issue for protecting the interests of the council members.
Steps demanded
Councillors also demanded steps for addressing the acute drinking water shortage in many parts of the city. Water should be supplied in tanker lorries to city areas reeling under water shortage, they said. Development Standing Committee chairman T.J Vinod and corporation councillors K.R. Premakumar, N. A Shafeeq, M.P Mahesh Kumar, Shyamala S. Prabhu and Sojan Antony were among those who took part in the discussion.
