KOCHI: The uncertainty over the fine imposed by the National Green Tribunal has finally ended with the Kochi Corporation passing an agenda in compliance with the High Court’s order of submitting Rs 1 crore as bank guarantee for setting up a waste treatment plant at Brahmapuram.
The council, which convened for the second time to discuss the order, decided to comply with the High Court amid resistance from the opposition.
Right from the start of the council meeting, the opposition raised their protest against passing the agenda. They said the lackadaisical attitude of the ruling council resulted in the civic body losing `1 crore.
“It’s a serious lapse from the Corporation. They have failed to take up the waste management issue seriously. Even after the NGT slapped a fine for the delay in implementing the order, they approached it with a lackadaisical attitude. They submitted a review petition in High Court only on the last day,” said K J Antony.
Opposition councillor V P Chandran lashed out at the ruling bench saying the Mayor should first learn the council proceedings.
“If a councillor demands voting on an agenda, it should be considered. Since they were sure of the losing the vote, the Mayor decided to postpone it. Mayor’s act is against the Municipality Act,” he said.
Even though Mayor Soumini Jain and health standing committee chairperson V K Minimol tried to defend the Corporation, the opposition created a noisy scene to stop all their effort to provide a reply to the council regarding the NGT order. Finally, Mayor left the podium announcing all the supplementary agenda have been passed.
National Green Tribunal slapped a fine of Rs 1 crore on the civic body for the delay in complying with its order to construct a waste treatment plant at Brahmapuram. As per the order, the Corporation has to deposit `50 lakh equally to the State Pollution Control Board and Central Pollution Board.