IT park CEO resigns over pressure to approve bars

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: IT Park CEO John M Thomas, who is in charge of Technopark, Kochi Info Park and Kozhikode cyber park, has submitted resignation to IT secretary Bishwanath Sinha. The decision on the resignation will be taken after the chief minister, who is in charge of the IT department, returns to the state. Thomas has been directed to remain in service till a replacement is set up.

The decision to go to the US in order to stay with his family has been cited as the reason for the resignation. Meantime, it is learnt that the sudden resignation was due to pressure from some prominent sections regarding the opening of a bar in Technopark.

Timely changes were brought in the liquor policy with the aim of the state’s development. Currently, a beer parlor is functioning in Technopark.

There is a total of 1.5 lakh employees in the IT sector, across the state. There are around 60,000 employees in Thiruvananthapuram Technopark alone. John M Thomas was appointed in March, last year. The assigning of one person in charge of all the three IT parks was a new experiment. It is estimated that the decision has contributed to the development of the parks.