KOCHI: Even as the Smart City Mission of the state government submitted the proposal and the concept plan for Kochi to the international jury headed by Michael Bloomberg on Monday, the corporation council and other stakeholders are clueless on the content of the proposal.
The official explanation that a discussion of the concept note and the proposal in the corporation council would have delayed its submission has been treated with scepticism by the resident associations and opposition parties.
CPM district secretary P. Rajeev said submitting the proposals without presenting them in the council was against democratic values. “As the mission has unilaterally submitted the plan, it is not clear whether the proposals have any hidden bindings or traps. Though the opposition leader has submitted a letter to the Mayor seeking presentation of the draft before the council, it has been rejected. The CPM will take up the issue,” he said.
Defending the Smart City Mission’s decision, Ernakulam MP prof K.V. Thomas told DC that the city could be shortlisted in the first 20 list only if the draft plan was submitted within the deadline.
The Smart City guidelines are not the kind of project norms followed regularly, he said. “The project aims at development of specific areas. Hence, it need not be debated among all councillors. Moreover, a presentation of the project and concept plans has already been made in the council.”
Kochi is the only city in the state selected for the Smart City projects by the central government.
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