A. Achyuthan, environmentalist, has said that the City Corporation has cheated the public by extending the contract with Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Ltd. (IL&FS) for running the waste-treatment plant at Njeliyanparamba by two years.
He was speaking at a mass protest programme organised by the Paristhithi Samrkashana Samithi (environment protection association) and the Corporation Anti-corruption Campaign Committee here on Monday.
“The company had applied for carbon credits to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), claiming that it is running the plant efficiently. A certification in this regard was given by the City Corporation at a time when the people residing around the plant were going through various difficulties, thanks to the rejects from the plants. The UNDP has sanctioned carbon credits worth Rs. 27 crore to the company based on this certification,” Mr. Achyuthan said.
Speaking at the protest programme, K.P. Vijayakumar of the Corporation Anti-corruption Campaign Committee said the Corporation had extended the contract with a company which had a Vigilance case registered against it.
Chairperson’s stand
Asked about the sanctioning of carbon credits, Janamma Kunjunni, Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Health, said the company had applied for carbon credits, but there was no information that the money had been sanctioned.
“If the UNDP has sanctioned the funds, the information will be passed to the Corporation as the local body is entitled for a share of the funds. The allegations from various quarters regarding this issue are untrue and is aimed at tarnishing the image of the Corporation,” Ms. Kunjunni said.
