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Kerala game for meet on national highway row in Malappuram

The acquisition of land for the development of the national highway was progressing well.

Thiruvananthapuram: PWD minister G. Sudhakaran said in the assembly on Tuesday that the government was willing to hold an all-party meeting in the wake of protests over the land acquisition for the development of a national highway in Malappuram district. Mr Sudhakaran while replying to an adjournment motion by K. N. A. Khader of the IUML here on Tuesday, said that the LDF government was ready to hold discussions with the concerned parties to address the issue. “We can take a decision in this regard after consulting chief minister Pinarayi Viajyan,” Sudhakaran said.

District collectors, National Highway Authority officials, panchayat presidents and local MLAs should have more effective interactions with local people to give them a clear picture about the compensation package, said Mr Sudhakaran. The acquisition of land for the development of the national highway was progressing well. The current alignment was approved when the UDF was in power. There was a problem in the 8-km stretch between Vallancheri and Kuttipuram. The priority of the government was to develop the stretch by avoiding all places of religious worships including mosques, temples and burial grounds.

The government was also committed to ensuring maximum compensation for those who would lose land, houses and other properties, said Mr Sudhakaran. As many as 32 houses would be lost when the alignment was changed to avoid religious places, Mr Sudhakaran said. Sudhakaran said that the laying of the foundation stone for the NH from Thrissur to Ponnani was completed by the previous UDF government. However, the UDF did not show any interest in the project for the next three years. Some are trying to stop development by raising unnecessary protests, said Mr Sudhakaran.

Taking an indirect dig at the Keezhatoor highway stir, Sudhakaran said the chief minister did not go to New Delhi to chase away the ‘Vayalkilikal’, the collective of local residents of Keezhattoor, as being propagated. He was going to take part in the CPM central committee meeting, he said. The CM would meet the Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari. Such meetings were usual during Delhi visits, Mr Sudhakaran said. Northern Malappuram district recently witnessed a series of protests against the acquisition of land for the development of National Highway 66.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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