THIRUVANATHAPURAM: The State Cabinet on Tuesday decided to send yet another 'ultimatum' to the Dubai-based Tecom on the Smart City Kochi project.
Fisheries Minister S Sarma, who is also the Chairman of the Smart City Kochi, has said that the fresh letter is being sent to know whether Tecom is still accepting the agreement signed with the Kerala Government.
Tecom will have to give its reply within 10 days. Further decision regarding the project will be taken on the basis of Tecom's reply, Sarma told reporters.
The decision to send a fresh letter to Tecom was announced by the Chief Minister at the post-Cabinet press conference here.
Sources said that in the fresh letter, the government would include a set of direct queries to the Tecom, including whether they want free hold on 12 percent of the land earmarked for the project. The intention of the government is to get direct replies from Tecom on the controversial issues pertaining to the project so that they could move legally.
The State Government had already sent two ultimatums to the Tecom, the latest one was on September 2 asking Tecom to submit an action plan on resuming the works.
But Tecom had literally turned down the ultimatum by not submitting any action plan, but maintained that they were willing to go ahead with the project as per the conditions in the framework agreement.
The last Cabinet meeting had entrusted the Chief Minister to take a decision on the matter.
The project met with an impasse over the demand of Tecom for free hold on 12 percent of the land earmarked for the project. The State Government is strongly opposing the demand.