Kochi | Reiterating his stance against the LDF government's decision to approve the exit of Dubai-based firm TECOM from the Smart City project in Kochi through a mutual understanding, Leader of Oppositon in Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan on Friday urged the state government to reconsider the move.
He told reporters that TECOM should pay compensation for the breach of contract, noting that a specific Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in 2005 when the Congress-led UDF entered into the agreement with the Dubai firm.
The Smart City project had been envisaged as a joint venture between the Kerala government and Dubai's TECOM investments.
He pointed out that while there was initially a provision to compensate for a decline in employment rates, the V S Achuthanandan-led government had revised these terms.
"However, according to the agreement signed between the V S Achuthanandan-led government and TECOM also, the contract includes clauses stipulating to recover all investments and costs made by the state government from the Dubai-based firm in the event of a breach of contract," Satheesan stated.
Satheesan criticized the government for failing to conduct inspections over the past eight years, alleging that the sole motive behind the current move was to sell the 246-acres of land handed over to TECOM for the project.
He demanded that TECOM should not be compensated and called for the decision to be reversed.
It was on Wednesday, that the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinaryi Vijayan decided to accept the recommendations submitted by a Chief Secretary-headed panel to resolve the issues connected with the Smart City project in Kochi.
Discussions will be held with TECOM to formulate an exit policy through mutual understanding, as per the cabinet decision.
An independent evaluator would be appointed to calculate the amount of compensation payable to the TECOM, the CMO statement said.
A panel comprising IT Mission director, Infopark CEO, and the managing director of Overseas Keralites Investment and Holding Limited would be entrusted with the task of submitting recommendations to the government in this regard, it added.
Addressing the media, Satheesan also accused the government of opposing a CBI investigation into the death of ADM Naveen Babu, saying that it was done to conceal certain facts.
He criticised the government for not addressing the family's demand for a fair probe, asserting that they would not receive justice through a police investigation.
