KOLLAM: City Mayor N.Padmalochanan has refuted the `Express’ report on construction of a private bus stand at Tangasseri by saying that it was a futile attempt made by the reporter to tarnish the image of the State Government and the Kollam Corporation. In a statement here on Thursday, the Mayor said that the report was contrary to facts. There is no dispute between the Kollam Corporation and the Fisheries Harbour Department on the construction of the bus bay. The project is one jointly implemented by the Corporation and the Department. However, certain proceedings have to be completed at government-level to hand over the land. There is no question of water pollution, sound pollution or construction of building complex. It is only a bus bay and not a garage or workshop and hence no question of oil leakage. It is also meaningless to say that the bus bay would cause sound pollution to the park. The sheds proposed to be constructed for the bus bay are smaller than the sheds for auction existing in the fishing harbour.
Clarification The `Express’ report focused on the moves for construction without getting the land handed over or getting proper sanction. The Mayor himself has admitted that the land has not yet been handed over. The Mayor is also silent on the environment clearance for conducting any sort of construction work near the base of the harbour as stipulated by law. It would have been better if he explained how a bus bay could be constructed while sanction for a play ground for children of fishermen had been denied. Why there is a hasty move for the construction after the announcement of election schedules, though the proposal for the bus bay was a long-pending one.