Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Thursday attacked the LDF’s ‘opportunistic’ stand on Aranmula Greenfield airport saying all crucial decisions regarding the proposed project had been taken by the Achuthanandan government.
In a statement here, the Chief Minister said the Achuthanandan government had planned to make the Aranmula project a reality during its fourth anniversary.
On October 10, 2010, Achuthanandan had issued directions to the Pathanamthitta Dictrict Collector to “initiate immediate action for transfer of land so as to start the construction activities and file a report.’’
The KGS Company had approached the Union Civil Aviation Ministry seeking sanction for constructing the airport and the Airport Authority officials had inspected the project site during the LDF tenure. The Cabinet meeting on October 8, 2009, had discussed the project in detail and decided to give the consent letter.
In fact, the previous government had gone to town highlighting the benefits of the project including the provision for direct and indirect employment for 7,500 people.
It was during the LDF tenure that the Collector had asked the sub registrar office to register the land purchased by the promoters.
It also declared the project area and even areas outside it as Industrial Zone. But the UDF Government decided to denotify the excess land, the statement added.
The Chief Minister’s attack on the LDF comes in the wake of the LDF, Joint Action Council and Aranmula Heritage Village Action Council’s decision to intensify the agitation.
The stir is being spearheaded by the LDF, BJP, Hindu Aikya Vedi, AAP, environmentalists, NGOs and a section of Congress leaders.
