After the Kochi Corporation Council met on Friday, with most councillors remaining absent, the Opposition LDF has written to the Minister for Local Self-Governments, demanding that the decisions taken at the meeting be cancelled.
Of the corporation’s 74 divisions, 34, including all 28 divisions in West Kochi, are containment zones, said a statement issued by Opposition Leader K.J. Antony. “With the spread of the pandemic in the district, a council meeting with a majority of councillors would defy the COVID protocol,” it said.
“A Government Order issued a few days ago allows council meetings to be held online. Important decisions regarding the use of the 15th Finance Commission grants were taken despite several councillors remaining absent. This meeting could have been held online. The quorum for a meeting to be held is one-third of the strength of the council,” said V.P. Chandran, LDF parliamentary party secretary.
A statement issued by Mayor Soumini Jain said annual projects to be taken up under the Finance Commission’s grant of ₹59 crore had to be approved by the council and sent to the District Planning Committee before August 10, necessitating an urgent council meeting, which was held adhering to all COVID-related protocol. Using the grant, projects like leachate treatment and sewage treatment plants at Brahmapuram, renovation of city markets, expanding water connections, and constructing ‘she lodges’ will be taken up.
“The Government Order allowing online meetings was brought to my notice only on Friday afternoon when the meeting was set to begin. Besides, a switch to online meetings immediately might not be easy for all councillors. It was only a 15-minute meeting on Friday, and the projects had to be passed urgently,” Ms. Jain said.
Over 30 UDF councillors had attended the meeting. While LDF councillors did not participate, a few of them had gathered in the hall to protest, she added.
