Construction
work for a proposed airport at Aranmula in Pathanamthitta district by a private
group has run into trouble with the local Village Action Council announcing
that it would disrupt any such work.
Aranmula,
which had been declared as a heritage village by the Centre and United Nations
Development Programme, would cease to exist if the project came up, The
Aranmula Heritage Village Action Council patron Kummanam Rajasekharan said.
He
claimed that the plan of the KGS group, promoters of the private airport
project, was to develop an aerotropolis centring the airport for which at least
3,000 acres would be required.
"This
will not be allowed by people of Aranmula. We will disrupt the construction
work if it is started this month as announced by KGS group," Rajasekharan
said, adding the construction would sound the death-knell for the culture and
heritage of the ancient village.
He
alleged the state government had acted in haste to accord sanction to the
project.
As
per an RTI reply the Council had received, the Centre had not yet given
'in-principle' approval to the airport project. No environmental impact study
was conducted by any government agency and the objections raised by Assembly
committee on environment was overlooked, he said.
The
reports prepared by the company's own consultants were taken as the final word,
he alleged.
Rajasekharan
said the people had no other way but to resort to a confrontationist approach
if the work starts this month.
All
those opposed to the project would be brought together and a meeting would soon
be convened to chalk out future course of action.
Any
construction work would be disrupted with the support of all parties against
the 'anti-people' project, he added.
He
challenged Chief Minister Oommen Chandy to reveal the clearance obtained by the
KGS company from the Centre and announce the area of land demarcated for the
project.
The
state government had last week given sanction for the project and decided to
hold 10 per cent shares in the company to be formed for the airport.
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