NCP demands probe into Munnar action, Smart city project

Thiruvananthapuram, Jun 5 (UNI) Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader K Karunakaran today sought a detailed probe covering all aspects of Munnar demolition drive and the Smart City agreement.

Addressing a press conference here, he said the truth could be brought out only through such a probe in view of CPI, the second largest coalition parter in the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government levelling allegation that rampant corruption had taken place in the action against encroachers in Munnar.

The probe should be entrusted with an officer of Secretary level and a time fixed to complete it, Mr Karunankaran suggested.

Welcoming the government's action against encroachers, he opined that illegal buildings constructed in the government land should be handed over to the State Tourism Department, instead of demolishing it.

Following allegation by Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee that the Smart City project agreement was not the original firm, with which the government had negotiated, it should also be included in the probe, he added.

The LDF government should ensure that jobs in the Smart City project be made available to the youths in the state and details of all agreement made available to the public, the former chief minister said.

Describing the demolition of CPI party office in Munnar as 'absolutely wrong,' Mr Karunankaran said the government should have discussed the issue with party leaders before taking such a step.

UNI