The Cochin Port Trust and the National Highway Authority of India have been faulted for failure in adequately compensating evictees of land given away for developing the Vallarpadam International Container Transhipment Terminal.

Replying to a calling attention motion in the State Assembly on Thursday, the Chief Minister, Mr Oommen Chandy, said he intends to convene a meeting with the representatives of both the agencies separately.

Even fishermen have been adversely impacted by the unhelpful attitude of the Port Trust. They are finding it difficult to carry on with their livelihood activity. This is an unfortunate turn of events, the Chief Minister said.

If needed, the matter will be escalated to the Prime Minister's Office for further action, Mr Chandy informed the Assembly.

Meanwhile, the former Finance Minister, Dr Thomas Isaac, charged the Chief Minister with resorting to favouritism and influencing his official position to direct a deposit account of Kochi Metro Rail Company to the Kollam branch of Axis Bank where his kin is working as an Assistant Manager.

The Chief Minister denied the allegation, saying that the core banking solution available with new-generation banks allowed the option of opening a deposit account anywhere on the network.

Sources in Kochi Metro clarified this was a ‘normal and routine' happenstance and Axis Bank was chosen based on the competitive offer it had made to the exclusion of others. Nothing more may be read into this, they added.

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