Councillor criticises civic body

KPCC general secretary N. Venugopal, also a Congress councillor, has come out against the Congress-led Kochi Corporation authorities for “failing in all spheres of governance.”

The civic administration has failed miserably in addressing any of the issues faced by the city.

‘Convene meeting'

The corporation council should be convened to discuss the issue, said the senior Congress leader in a letter to the Kochi Mayor Tony Chammany.

It was with great expectation that the people of Kochi voted the UDF to power in Kochi Corporation. However, during the last nine months, the administrators could not find solution to any of the civic issues. The pot-holed city roads and increasing mosquito menace attest to the failure of the civic authorities, he criticised.

Though the civic administration had spend around Rs.25 crore during the last five years for repairing the city roads, almost all the city roads have become non-motorable. Most of the city roads that were repaired last year have developed potholes.

‘Unholy nexus'

Though the contractors, who carried out the road work, should be made answerable for such damages that develop within one year of the work, the corporation has not acted against anyone for the poor quality of work. It was the unholy nexus between the rulers and the contractors that was preventing action against the contractors who failed to carry out the works properly, he alleged.

The Kochi Corporation has landed in deep financial crisis thanks to the maladministration and lack of vision and enthusiasm of the administrators.

Revenue sources

The authorities could not identify the potential revenue sources and tap it accordingly. Instead, it went for an overdraft to tide over the crisis. The financial position of the Kochi Corporation should be made public and the council should discuss these issues in detail, he demanded. Tony Chammany, Kochi Mayor, when contacted, said that the council meeting will be convened to discuss the issues raised by Mr. Venugopal.