Janapaksham accuses Finance Department officials of bid to sabotage project

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Janapaksham people’s movement for the Vizhinjam container terminal has accused a section of officials in the Finance Department of attempting to sabotage the project.

A meeting of Janapaksham leaders here on Saturday alleged that the officials had failed to honour the timeframe for the project announced by the Chief Minister at the Investors’ Meet held on April 17. The meeting alleged that the Finance Department had blocked the sanction of Rs.80 crore as consultancy fee for the preparation of the international tender form and Rs.15 crore for revising the project report. It said the process of preparing a fresh estimate and tender would set the project back by at least two months.

Janapaksham alleged that the move to exclude the Ports Secretary from the Finance Committee of the Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited (VISL) was part of a conspiracy to undermine the project.

It urged the Government to identify and punish the officials responsible for the lapses. It also called upon the Government to begin the construction works for the project by December 2007.

Presiding over the meeting, Janapaksham leader Appukuttan Pillai warned that the movement would launch an agitation if the Government failed to take timely action to expedite the project.

K.S. Manoj, Swaminathan, K.C.S. Nair, Ramakrishna Pillai and Wilfred Kulas were present.

Source : The Hindu