Advocate commission’s reality check.
Kochi: The Advocate-Commissioner appointed by the Kerala High Court has come out with a damning report on the proposed Aranmula airport saying it may be a perennial threat to the sublimity of Aranmula Sree Parthasarathy temple and its continued existence.
Following the submission of the report, a division bench comprising Justice T.R. Ramachandran Nair and Justice B. Kemal Pasha suo motu impleaded Kerala Pollution Control Board and Union Ministry of Civil Aviation in the case and issued notice to them.
“Of late, the western gopuram of the temple has fallen down and steps for its resurrection are under way. Several archaeologically important structures form the temple complex,” the report said.
The Advocate- Commissioner pointed out that the Airport Authority of India had suggested that the golden flag mast of the temple has to be fitted with a light. It also suggested removal of four hills around the temple along with the rubber plantation.
As per the guidelines for setting up greenfield airports, no such airport would be allowed within an aerial distance of 150 km of an existing airport. The proposed airport was at a flight distance of 98 km both from Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi international airports.
It also pointed out that the Kerala State Bio-Diversity Board in a report had said that 80 per cent of the 500 acres of land earmarked for the airport was paddy fields. Such largescale conversion would have an adverse effect on the food chain and flora and fauna.
The Salim Ali Foundation which conducted a study also reported that the proposed airport project would destroy 400 acres of water-logged paddy land and endanger 212 species of plants in the region.
