Fisheries Minister J. Mercykutty Amma said at a press meet here on Saturday that her New York visit in 2018 had been to present the Edam housing project, her constituency development initiative in Kundara, at the United Nations headquarters which was aired live around 125 universities worldwide.
Responding to the allegations raised by Mr. Chennithala on Friday, she said, “No discussion was held there with EMCC International Private Limited representatives.”
‘I met representatives’
While agreeing she had met the company’s representatives in Kerala, the Minister reiterated that no agreement was reached and no contract was signed. “Signing a memorandum of understanding means nothing as far as we have a very strong policy. The Left Democratic Front government will take no step against the policy and no foreign trawler will be allowed here.”
Ms. Mercykutty Amma averred that if some official signed any projects against the policy, the government was not responsible and a good percentage of the memorandums of understanding signed did not materialise.
Processing unit
About the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation allotting four acres at Pallipuram in connection with the project, she said “the government has been trying to promote industries and the land was given to start a processing unit. The place has a lot of units and there is no harm in encouraging entrepreneurs. But the Fisheries Department is the authority when it comes to allowing deep-sea trawlers and we will not permit any foreign vessel now or in future”.
