The controversies over the Bolgatty land deal between Cochin Port Trust (CPT) and Lulu Convention and Exhibition centre, and the construction of a flyover near Lulu Mall at Edappally, has virtually snowballed into a war of words between two factions of the CPM.
The controversy came to a boil with the Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan refuting the stand of Ernakulam district Committee.
“The district committee is not going to back out from its stand,” district committee Secretary C M Dinesh Mani told Express. “We stand by what we said. The Bolgatty land deal should be scrapped as it is causing huge financial loss to the state. There has been encroachment in the Edappally canal too and the Lulu should build the flyover own their own expense as their mall is the cause for the present traffic block,” He clarified.
However, State committee member K Chandran Pillai chose to back Achuthanandan in both Bolgatty land and Lulu Mall issues. “A situation in which Yousuf Ali has to withdraw from the Bolgatty project should be avoided. The enthusiasm of an entrepreneur should be promoted and a situation where one conducting a press conference saying he is pained (by the attitude) should be avoided. To the best of my knowledge the LDF government has not provided undue gains to Yusuf Ali by allowing irregularities,” he said.
While referring to the statement of former minister and CPM leader Paloli Mohammed Kutty that every thing was legal with Lulu Mall, Dinesh Mani stated “no government will give permission to encroachment”. “LDF government must have given permission to build a bridge connecting Kalamassery Municipality and Cochin Corporation near the Mall. But the encroachment has taken place during the time of present UDF regime,” he said.
Chandran Pillai said it is true that the emergence of the mall is one of the reasons for the traffic block in the area. “But it is not fair to focus in all discussions about who has to invest in the flyover project at Edappally,” he said.
Meanwhile, M A Yusuf Ali, in his capacity as the Managing Director of the Lulu Convention and Exhibition centre, has sent a letter to the CPT Chairman for the refund of the premium amount he deposited and expressing his readiness to hand over the land. CPT authorities have admitted the existence of the letter.
“We have received a letter from the company for refund of money, A reply will be given to the company after going through the legal aspects of their demand,” said a CPT spokesperson.
According to the Clause 1 (a) the lease deed between Cochin Port Trust and Lulu Convention and Exhibition centre, the premium of `71,37,66,000 paid by Lulu is non-refundable under any circumstance. Yusuf Ali declined to comment.
‘Hold All-party Meet’
The Kerala Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has urged the state government to take immediate steps to resolve the controversy surrounding the Bolgatty international convention center project.
KCCI chairman KN Marzook said that an all party meeting should be convened in this regard. He was addressing a press conference here on Monday.
He added that the allegations raised by some political leaders against Lulu group and M A Yusuf Ali are totally baseless and with a vested interest. “The controversy will effect the developmental dreams of the state badly. So state government should act urgently,” he added.
“Lulu group and Yusuf Ali have played a major role in shaping Kerala as an industrial friendly state. The public especially youth consider him as a brand ambassador of the state.
His withdrawal from a major project will be a bad sign for investors” K N Marzook said.