THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In the wake of serious allegations against the corporation, pertaining to financial irregularities by five staffers of four zonal offices, the civic body will kick-start a campaign in all its 100 wards soon. The campaign is intended to convince people that money paid as building tax and fees for other certificate was intact.
The LDF councillors will undertake a door-to- door campaign to inform people that they will ensure a foolproof mechanism in 30 days, which will provide regular updates on tax payments and building tax arrears. The corporation decision in this regard came during a meeting on Tuesday after BJP councillors decided to continue their protest.
Meanwhile, the protest by BJP councillors completed seven days on Tuesday. However, they attended the special council meeting on the day for implementing the action plan for a total plastic ban within the corporation limits. The BJP councillors, covered their mouths with black cloth and displayed placards demanding that the corporation pass a resolution to arrest the tainted staff.
Loot wasn’t tax money: Mayor
The graft charges against the staff also came up for discussion at the council meeting. Mayor S Arya Rajendran explained the action taken against five staffers and the cases registered against them. The corporation will draw the chief minister’s attention to the issue to ensure stringent punishment for the corrupt staffers.
“It had emerged that five staffers of four zonal officers were involved in corruption and they embezzled several lakh. Consequently, they were suspended pending inquiry and charged with non-bailable offences at the respective police stations. The charges, include criminal conspiracy, cheating, and forgery. The corporation will not entertain such tendencies.
However, the money looted by the staff was not the tax money of the citizens. It was the income to be gained by the corporation. The zonal offices need to pay this money to the account of the corporation secretary at SBI Vikas Bhavan branch. Since the money was not credited, an inquiry was conducted and the fraud came to light,” said Arya.
BJP to continue protest
Opposition leader M R Gopan told the council that the BJP will continue its protest until the corporation passed a resolution for arresting the culprits in the case. “We want the corporation to pass a resolution to arrest the culprits. Besides, the corporation should set up a help desk at corporation zonal offices and the main office. The other demands were to fix glitches of ‘Sankhya’ software and have a transparent system for the people to check the status of arrears and tax payments,” Gopan said. The protest by BJP councillors began on September 29 during a special council meet after reports emerged that five employees of the corporation were suspended for corruption to the tune of Rs 33.96 lakh.