Thiruvananthapuram: The agenda of renting a residence for Mayor Arya Rajendran raises a debate at the council meeting held here on Thursday.
While the UDF board and BJP welcomed the agenda to rent a house for the mayor, they questioned the delay in completing the ‘Mayor Bhavan’ project in Kunukuzhy.
BJP members said that the project was almost two decades of the old and very unfortunate that the LDF who ruled the council so far could not complete the project to date.
They accused that it was a delay in solving projects that caused the mayor to rent residency to integrate various other components.
Anil also said it was a local protest in Kunnukuzhy which has hampered the progress of the project.
His statement provoked Kunnukuzhy’s board members Mary Pushpam and he said that LDF forced the project to residents there.
“The project site is in Colony SC, Barton Hill.
About 250 families will be affected.
In addition, there is a Community Hall, Anganwadi, a towing institute associated with people’s livelihoods.
Why was forced on them?” He asked.
Pallayam members of Pallayam Rajan and Gopakumar rebuked Mary Pushpam and said that he expressed an opposite of projects at any cost would not be encouraged.
“The LDF council has been more human in its approach so far.
You cannot challenge anyone with an open protest declaration,” Pallayam Rajan said.
P K Gopakumar stepped further and said that Mary Pushpam acted under the influence of several people with personal interests and that she denied the opportunity for development there.
The state government has sanctioned civil bodies to utilize their own funds to take rental buildings to be used as the official residence of the mayor.
The government has issued an order based on a letter from Thiruvananthapuram City Corporation Secretary of Furniture and other items purchased for rented residences must be treated as corporate assets.
The mayor must bear the cost of water and electricity.