Kadakampally accuses Tourism Minister of wilful delay in implementing Aakkulam lake project
The Tourism department and the Tourism Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas himself, came under severe criticism from the ruling party MLA, Kadakampally Surendran, in the Assembly on Monday, when the latter accused the Tourism department of torpedoing the Aakkulam lake rejuvenation project.
Mr. Surendran raised the issue on a submission in the House and he accused the Tourism department and the Tourism Minister of “wilful laxity” in implementing the ₹185 crore Aakkulam lake rejuvenation project, which he said would also be a solution to the waterlogging of the city.
He said that the issue relating to the said project had been raised by him in the Assembly in previous sessions also and that Mr. Riyas had failed to keep the promise he had given the House regarding the issue
He accused the Tourism department of some “vested interest” in delaying the project and expressed the suspicion that the ultimate aim was to hand over the scheme to some private consultancy
The ₹185 crore KIIFB scheme involved the cleaning and rejuvenation of the 225 acre Aakkulam lake and the surrounding water channels, for the sustainable development of tourism.
Though the tender for the first phase of the scheme at₹96 crore was approved by the government, the Tourism department’s continuous refusal, citing “ lame excuses”, to enter into a tripartite agreement with the SPV and the contracting agency, delayed the work on the project, Mr. Surendran said. He said that even after the Chief Minister’s intervention, the Tourism department did nothing to execute the scheme.
However, the Tourism Minister, Mr. Riyas refused to be provoked and confined his reply to a short statement, stating that the work on the Aakkulam lake rejuvenation project will begin as soon as the technical committee appointed by KIIFB to examine the clauses and the components of the contract in detail, completed its study and submitted the report
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