Thiruvananthapuram: The revenue authorities have urged the government to convene another high-level meeting on land acquisition for the expansion of the international airport here as local CPM leaders were leading a mass protest against the acquisition.
The local people led by Chakkai councillor K. Sreekumar of the CPM were protesting against the move by revenue officials to demarcate the 18 acres of land.
The acquisition is likely to be made only after the proposed social impact assessment, which may take at least three more months. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had convened a meeting with the local politicians and leaders of the joint action council and directed them to cooperate with the acquisition. He also promised to conduct a social impact assessment and adopt a negotiated land purchase model to ensure better compensation for the land owners.
Though the government appointed the Loyola College of Social Sciences for conducting the social impact assessment about a month back, it is yet to take off.
The government also issued orders of negotiated purchase. But the local people insisted on acquisition only after conducting the social impact assessment.
“In the present scenario, land acquisition steps could be initiated only using police force, which is not desirable. Hence we suggested to the government to initiate another round of meeting with the Chief Minister or local minister Kadakampally Surendran,” said a revenue official.
The action council says that only after the study the government will be able to understand the impact of land acquisition on the livelihood of the residents. “We are not blindly opposing the acquisition, but the government had earlier assured that no more land would be acquired for the airport. Those who are to be dislocated should be properly rehabilitated,” said action council leader Saifuddin Haji.
The 18 acres required near Injackal comprises the land belonging to about 275 persons. Of this, only 27 land owners have so far agreed to hand over the land. But the government has not agreed on the compensation. Some 53 cents in nearby Muttathara village also has to be acquired.
The Airports Authority of India plans to construct a new domestic terminal attached to the existing international terminal at Chakkai and make it an integrated terminal.
