Opposition Blasts Kochi Mayor for Alleged ‘Abuse of Power’ in Extending Biomining Agreement.

The Left Democratic Front (LDF) has accused Mayor V.K. Minimol of abusing her authority by unlawfully extending the biomining waste agreement with Bhumi Green Energy after its contract had expired, without prior consultation with the council. LDF parliamentary party leader V.A. Sreejith formally raised this issue in a letter to the Corporation secretary, alleging errors in the council meeting minutes and claiming that due procedures regarding the National Institute of Technology-Calicut’s survey and subsequent legal opinion were disregarded.

During a council meeting, Sreejith registered robust opposition to the agreement extension, asserting it should be annulled. He highlighted that the United Democratic Front-led council granted this extension shortly before the Assembly election notice, despite the governing committee having already finalized a reduction in costs due to intense negotiations, thereby purportedly saving the Corporation a significant amount. However, concerns were raised regarding whether this financial saving justified the procedural violations.

In response to flooding issues following recent rains, Sreejith criticized the governing committee for inadequate pre-monsoon preparations, while Mayor Minimol defended her administration’s measures, including the establishment of a WhatsApp group for reporting waterlogging issues. Despite these measures, Sreejith pointed out that the timeliness of the planned works was questionable given the monsoon’s arrival, emphasizing that delays could nullify the effectiveness of the allocated funds for pre-monsoon activities.