The Hindu : Airport expansion: hartal on July 19

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 14, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram

Airport expansion: hartal on July 19

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM July 13. A hartal being organised by the Joint Action Council spearheading the agitation against shifting of the present international terminal at the city's airport, will be held on July 19 at the Sankhumukhom, Thoppu, Valiathura, Vallakkadavu, Vayyamoola, Chacka and All Saints College areas in protest against the ongoing evictions in the name of airport development and coastal areas development.

This was disclosed by activists of the action council at a press conference here on Sunday. The council is also planning a blockade of the Chacka by-pass. A `black day' was observed recently in these areas to protest against the Government actions.

The action council leader, Saratchandraprasad, said those who supported the move to construct a new terminal were concerned only about their convenience in reaching the airport and not about the problems this would pose to the city's development or about the environmental problems.

The initial plan was to set up a new terminal at Chacka alongside the present one, with the acquisition of just 27 acres. Later, during the tenure of the previous LDF Government, an affidavit was filed in court stating that the Government needed 69.5 acres for effecting the airport development and that there would be no more acquisition above this limit. However, now the demand was that in addition to the first mentioned 27 acres, another 120 acres would be required for the development of the airport.

It had not been made clear why 147 acres were required for a project that could be executed on 27 or 69.5 acres. Further, details regarding the proposed facilities and plans for rehabilitation had not been specified. It was clear that no additional facilities would be made available at the new terminal- only the shortcomings of the present one would be rectified. For this, many crores of rupees were going to be spend. No mention had also been made of what would happen to the present facilities.

Any further action should be taken in this matter only after making detailed rehabilitation plans and after getting the necessary clearance from the Ministry of Environment, he added.

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