KOCHI: At long last, responding to an outcry from a section of the councilors, Aluva Municipality is waking up to revive the cultural centre-cum-park named after EMS Namboodiripad which is now in a state of disuse. The park and cultural center on the banks of Periyar was set up during LDF council when Smitha Gopi was chairperson seven years ago on a two and a half acre plot. Chairperson Lissy Abraham of Congress has now said that steps would be taken to open the cultural centre soon after clearing bushes after a motion was moved in the council meeting by independent councilor Seby V. Bastin and BJP councilor A.C. Santhosh Kumar.
The main block for the opening of the centre was that it was named after EMS Namboodiripad and the aversion of the last UDF council and present council, also ruled by UDF, towards the name given to the cultural centre. “The opposition LDF also did not raise any voice against this following which we decided to raise it. Name does not matter, we should have a centre to host cultural events and it should not be left to disuse,” said Mr Seby V Bastin.
Santhosh Kumar said that at a time when this cultural centre built at a cost of Rs 30 lakh is decaying, the municipality is moving to set up another park and cultural centre at Aluva Manalpuram. “We won’t allow such wanton use of taxpayers’ money,” he said. Mr Seby said that at the EMS Park where a fountain was set up by Federal Bank spending '5 lakh sometime ago has become defunct and its parts stolen by anti-social elements. “The Municipality did not care to appoint a full-time security guard for it. They are trying to land the property in private hands,” he said.
