The Oommen Chandy Government has cancelled a
notification issued by the previous government demarcating a stretch in
Aranmula as industrial area so as to facilitate the setting up of a private
airport.
While the LDF government had notified
altogether 2,500 acres as industrial area, the present government effected the
cancellation over a 2,000-acre stretch and left out 500 acres.
Chief minister Oommen Chandy stated this in
the assembly on Thursday, while replying to a notice for adjournment moved by
Mullakara Ratnakaran of CPI on the Cabinet decision to treat paddyfields and
wet lands reclaimed before 2005 as dry land. He said industry minister P.K.
Kunhalikutty had already signed the order of cancellation.
The notification was issued by the
Achuthanandan government in violation of the rules and procedures, the assembly
was told.
Chandy also placed before the assembly records
showing that it was Achuthanandan who issued the orders for expediting the
handing over of the land for the airport.
However, Achuthanandan clarified that there
was no need for an airport at Aranmula in Pathanamthitta.
Meanwhile, following the recommendation by the
assembly panel that the promoters of the airport had encroached Kozhithodu, a
water source in the area, the government has initiated steps to reclaim six
acres.
Earlier, while replying to the motion, revenue
minister Adoor Prakash said the decision to treat reclaimed paddyfields and wet
lands as dry land was taken by the previous LDF government.
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