Heated debate on STP rocks Kozhikode Corporation Council again

STPs necessary in thickly populated areas, says Deputy Mayor

July 28, 2022 08:53 am | Updated 08:54 am IST - Kozhikode

UDF councillors protest inside the Kozhikode Corporation Council hall demanding a probe into the fire at the server room of the Cheruvannur-Nallalam zonal office.

UDF councillors protest inside the Kozhikode Corporation Council hall demanding a probe into the fire at the server room of the Cheruvannur-Nallalam zonal office. | Photo Credit: K. Ragesh

The Kozhikode Corporation council once again witnessed an elaborate debate on the proposed sewage treatment plants (STP) at Kothi and Avikkal Thodu in the city on Wednesday.

IUML councillor K. Moideen Koya presented an adjournment motion citing police action on protestors at Avikkal Thodu earlier this month and demanding that the Corporation take action against police officers. He also said that the Corporation should step back from the project, which is least desired by people.

“A democratic form of government cannot implement a project without public support. The government should understand the genuine worries of people instead of terrorising them into submission,” Mr. Koya said.

He alleged that policemen had been barging into the houses of protestors at Avikkal Thodu and arresting them, thus trying to scare the rest of them. “Anyone who is not a CPI(M) supporter is being portrayed as an extremist. The protests at Avikkal Thodu are of a public nature, where party politics has no role,” he added.

CPI(M) councillor C.M. Jamsheer accused the UDF of holding road blockades in protest against the projects. “The quality of water in Kozhikode is very poor, and we need to take immediate steps to resolve the problem,” he said, adding that every CPI(M) councillor wanted STPs in their wards.

Deputy Mayor C.P. Musafir Ahamed accused the UDF of leading a protest that served to whitewash extremist elements. “Never think that we will withdraw the project if you intensify protest. You will be forced to withdraw from the protest,” he said, adding that only extremist elements wanted deplorable living conditions for the people of Avikkal Thodu. “You do not want the plant in a thickly populated area, while we prioritise thickly populated areas where STPs are extremely necessary,” Mr. Ahamed said.

CPI(M) councillor C.P. Sulaiman, IUML’s Soufiya Aneesh, BJP’s T. Rinish, health standing committee chairperson S. Jayasree and Opposition leader K.C. Shobhita also spoke. The motion was, however, voted out.

Earlier, the council witnessed an array of protests by Opposition parties. BJP councillors protested covering their mouths with black cloth demanding that the questionable building number against the backdrop of the building number scam be cancelled. They also sought action against Corporation Secretary K.U. Bini “for covering up discrepancies.” Later, they staged a walkout.

UDF councillors raised placards demanding investigation into the recent fire in the server room of the Cheruvannur-Nallalam zonal office. The UDF alleged that the fire was part of an effort to cover up the building number scam.

Meanwhile, IUML workers staged a protest outside the Corporation office demanding that the civic body back off from the STP projects. They also sought the resignation of Mayor Beena Philip, alleging that she was involved in the building number scam. They demanded the suspension of the Corporation Secretary thus facilitating a judicial investigation into the case.

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