Kerala: Unlit streets rock council meeting

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Following a request from BJP councillors, a special council meeting was held on Tuesday to discuss issues with street light maintenance, allegedly unfair transfer of employees and welfare pensions. In connection with the street light issue, works chairperson Shafeera Begum said that the Corporation had disbursed Rs 1.38 crores between August 2015 and August 2016.

However, councillors said that lights in their wards remained unlit, even after they had paid KSEB the money. Valiyasala councillor Lakshmi M. alleged that certain councillors are sent away without being given starters and tube sets, hinting at political bias among the officials. BJP councillor of Kamaleswaram V Giri alleged that there was corruption in KSEB, and pushed for utility certificates. BJP’s Karamana Ajith said that there should be a mechanism to know whether the faulty tube lights were indeed replaced.

LDF’s Bindu Sreekumar said that she too faced a delay in tube light maintenance work, she shared that she has been able to successfully conduct follow-ups. Mayor V. K. Prasanth said the decision to deliver welfare pensions was the state government’s policy decision. He said that the streetlight issues would be solved as a tender of tube light parts has been invited, and a contract of Rs 1.63 crores will be granted on August 23.

Later in a press statement, he said that the Corporation was seeking a permanent solution, by changing to LED system. He also stated that the government has been ready to resolve the issues connected with the transfers, adding that many employees who got transfers were the ones serving in distant places for a long time. The council erupted after councillor Karamana Ajith made a derogatory remark against the mayor. After LDF councillors insisted, Ajith apologised.