The Corporation Council on Monday discussed the burning issue of poor hygienic standards in city hotels in a surprisingly callous manner with Mayor K Chandrika and nearly 30 councillors leaving the council hall on various errands in the middle of the deliberations.
The resolution on the issue was moved by R Harikumar of the UDF. The resolution sought strict action against erring hotels and urged the Government to provide financial assistance to the kin of Sachin Mathew who allegedly died after consuming stale shawarma from a city hotel.
The Opposition raised a hue and cry over the callous attitude of the Mayor, only to be silenced by the ruling front members. The Deputy Mayor later told the Council that the Mayor had left to attend the inaugural of ‘Santhivriksham’, a programme to plant saplings in the city.
The discussions that followed witnessed the ruling and opposition fronts blaming each other on the issue. While V S Padmakumar of the LDF opined that Health Minister V S Sivakumar should tender public apology, UDF leader Johnson Joseph wanted the Mayor to step down instead.
The UDF and BJP councillors said that several hotels were functioning in the city without the licence of the Corporation. Vazhuthacaud councillor K Sureshkumar said that the Corporation was sitting on his complaint filed some months ago that a hotel was operating in his ward without the Corporation licence and, worse, in an illegal building.
The ruling front members claimed that the civic body had little role in the issue after the Food Safety Act came into effect. However, they had no convincing answer for the inaction against hotels functioning without licence.
The opposition also alleged that the health standing committee of the Corporation was inefficient and inactive. Committee chairperson S Pushpalatha said that though the Corporation wanted closure of all such establishments there were some ‘practical difficulties’ in this regard. The Corporation has planned several steps to check the malpractice and classification of hotels and restaurants into A, B and C categories according to the hygienic standards, she said.
Concluding the discussions, Deputy Mayor G Happykumar said that the government will be asked to take strict action against erring hotels and restaurants. The Corporation will also take maximum efforts within its ambit, he said.
Worship Centre
at Nalanchira
The Council assigned the Works Standing Committee to examine the allegations raised by the BJP on the works of a worship centre on the MC Road at Nalanchira. It was also decided to take strict action against commercial establishments in illegal buildings, including Big Bazaar.
The Council unanimously passed a resolution by J Chandra condemning the government move to transfer the management of the Peroorkada government hospital to the District Panchayat.
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