Corp decides not to allot land for memorials

KOCHI: The Kochi Corporation Special Council on Wednesday passed a resolution to amend the earlier decision to allot land to various trusts for the construction of memorials of some former leaders in the city.

The amendment came in the wake of  widespread protests from various quarters against the civic body’s move to allot land to construct memorials to former minister T K Ramakrishnan, E K Narayanan, and former councillor Koru Asan.

“The T K Cultural Centre has informed the Corporation that it did not require the civic body’s land for construction of the T K Ramakrishnan Memorial as the state government has offered them the required land for its construction,” Mayor Mercy Williams said.

The Mayor said the Corporation would not allot land for the construction of memorials for Narayanan and Koru Asan. “Instead of allotting land to any outside organisations, the Corporation will prepare the project report and will undertake the construction works and maintenance of the memorials,” Mercy Williams said.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader A B Sabu alleged that the Mayor’s decision to dismiss the council without holding discussions on the resolution is mysterious.

“The Mayor did not even allow time for the Councillors to discuss the issue before passing the resolution. It is anti-democratic and a denial of the Councillor’s basic rights,” Sabu said.