TECOM: Government not keen on legal action

KOCHI: Even as the state government has given yet another deadline for Tecom to start the project, it has failed to inform the latter about the government stand on the controversial issues in writing.

Though Tecom had been asking the state government to give in writing the reasons for not giving the freehold land right, it has not complied with the demand. If it is given in writing, Tecom will move the court and produce it as a proof of breach in the agreement. That is why the state government has been hesitating to do so.

Earlier, the Advocate-General (AG) had advised against initiating legal action against Tecom.

Last month, the government again sought the advice of the AG to which the latter gave three suggestions. It is learnt that none of these suggestions was in favour of initiating legal action against Tecom.

At a meeting with the Chief Secretary last year, Smart City CEO Fareed Abdul Rahman had asked the government to give in writing the reason for not giving freehold land right. Since then, the state government had been giving many 'deadlines' to Tecom for starting the construction work, but in all the letters sent to Tecom, the government had only asked to start the construction work immediately.