THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Nearly four weeks of protests by the opposition councillors belonging to the BJP and UDF in connection with the revenue tax swindle to the tune of Rs 33.96 lakh in the corporation came to an end on Wednesday after the civic body conducted a special council meeting.
The BJP had been staging protest for 29 days, including a week-long hunger strike. Earlier in the day, UDF councillors also withdrew their agitation that lasted for 27 days. The Opposition councillors decided to call off the strike following the arrest of the key culprit S Shanthi, former superintendent of Nemom zonal office on Tuesday. Both BJP and UDF termed their agitation a success following the arrest. Thirty-three BJP councillors ended their hunger strike after BJP state president K Surendran gave them lemon juice.
The councillors were later shifted to the hospitals. Councillor V V Rajesh, who is also the BJP district president, said the BJP decided to end the agitation as the corporation and police took action based on their protest. “The non-stop protests by the BJP have yielded results. We first pointed out the corruption had taken out a march to Nemom police station demanding the arrest of Shanthi. Only after BJP tightened the protests, the corporation had also sped up the measures,” Rajesh said.
First manipulation detected in Sreekariyam office: Mayor
Mayor Arya S Rajendran, however, reiterated in the council meeting that the irregularities in the revenue collection was first detected by the corporation and the ruling dispensation has taken appropriate action against the culprits.
“The first manipulation was detected in the Sreekariyam zonal office after a staffer reported it to me and the corporation secretary that the revenue money collected from the public was not deposited to the official bank account of the corporation secretary.
Later, the governing body has asked the account officer to conduct a comprehensive local audit at all the 11 zonal offices. That’s how the irregularities were unearthed and the corporation itself had informed the matter to the media. So the protest by the Opposition was unnecessary,” Arya said, while replying to the BJP councillors Thirumala Anilkumar and V G Girikumar.
Anilkumar had also put forth suggestions to improve the day-to-day functioning of the corporation and to prevent corruption in the future. He also alleged that the corporation had sold off the corporation assets to the vested interests.
Anilkumar said the corporation should have a mechanism to monitor the fees collected through licence and other requirements from the public. The mayor replied that the corporation will start a monthly monitoring of revenue income to all the 11 zonal offices and the main office.
She said the finance standing committee chairman has been entrusted with this activity. Girikumar alleged that the corporation would go with recovery proceedings to those who defaulted on the revenue payment. However, the mayor intervened and told him that the corporation never took such a decision. She said it could be a false propaganda.
The key culprit has swindled around Rs 26.7 lakh. She has been charged under Sections 420, 409, 468 and 471 of IPC