The state government, which is so adamant in supporting the
controversial private Airport at Aranmula despite widespread protests citing
several legal impediments pertaining to land acquisition and environment
disasters , has decided to go ahead with granting exemption to more than 200
acres of land that the airport promoters -- KGS group had acquired as part of
the project.
The Revenue department has been asked to make a proposal in the
cabinet with regard to providing exemption to the land acquired by the private
company inviloation of the Land Reforms Act. The decision was taken at a
meeting held on Friday, which was attended by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy,
Revenue Minister Adoor Prakash, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala,
Pathanamthitta MLA K Shivadasan Nair, Revenue Principal Secretary Sathyajeeth
Rajan and top officials from the Land Board and Commissionerate of Land
Revenue.
In the meeting it was also decided to file a counter affidavit
against the Green Tribunal order that stayed the construction of the airport
until further orders, highly placed sources said. The meeting observed that the
government had the discretionary powers to give exemption for the project under
the Land Reforms Act and also from the Wet land and Paddy Conservation Act, the
sources said.
Source: The New Indian Express
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