The New Indian Express 04.09.2013
In order to clear contractors’ bills, the Kochi Corporation will take
a `10-crore loan from a private bank. “The state government has given
its approval for the same,” said Mayor Tony Chammany on the sidelines of
council meeting on Tuesday. Contractors have threatened to go on an
indefinite strike if the Corporation fails to clear the arrears by
September 10.
The Mayor had promised to clear the bills before the
deadline, as the indefinite strike was likely to hit various ongoing
construction works in the Corporation area, including roads and drains,
almost all development initiatives would come to a grinding halt. The
contractors had put forward one and only solution to avert the
indefinite strike, that is to pay at least `10 crore of the `18-crore
bills, approved by the Corporation but remaining unpaid. The contractors
had already stopped undertaking any new projects because of this tussle
with the Corporation, something which puts various development works in
Corporation divisions and their respective councillors on a tight spot.
