KOCHI: In a surprise early morning swoop on Wednesday, the city Corporation finally ended the deadlock over the closure of the Kokers Theatre at Fort Kochi, which was functioning illegally.
As per the civic body’s action plan, Mayor Soumini Jain along with the chairpersons of the various Standing Committees and Corporation officials reached the theatre premises around 5 am and started sealing the property-cum-complex situated on 60 cents with the help of the police.
Significantly, the authorities attached the theatre complex leased out by the Corporation instead of attaching the property.
“Since the theatre owners owed Rs 33 lakh in dues to the Corporation, we had to seek legal opinion in this regard. Prior to that, we had to plug all the legal loopholes. If we encountered a setback it would have shown the Corporation in a poor light. This led to the delay,” said the Mayor, who took the decision late on Tuesday.
The Mayor’s decisiveness drew praise from the Opposition LDF even though there were a few sulking faces among the ruling members.
At the Corporation Council meeting on Wednesday, two UDF members--Works Committee chairperson P M Harris and T K Ashraf-- stayed away to register their protest against the Mayor’s alleged ‘unilateralism’.
The Congress to which the Mayor belongs did not mince words and spoke out against Jain’s failure to take the ruling UDF councillors into confidence on the issue.
“The Corporation’s move to seal the theatre was a good decision but it should have been informed to the UDF councillors in advance. Only some members were clued in. The Mayor should have taken the councillors into confidence,” said K R Premkumar, Congress councillor.
The Corporation, though, is yet to reach a consensus on the Opposition demand to enlist the services of a senior advocate to defend the civic body in court on the Kokers’ issue.
“There is no doubt the theatre owner will move the court against this. We don’t have any faith in the Corporation pleaders as their lackadaisical showing had led to the Corporation suffering a reverse five times in the case. Hence, the services of a senior advocate is a must,” Benedict Fernandes, CPM councillor told the council.