: Minister for Ports Kadannappally Ramachandran has called for cautious efforts to complete the procedures of land acquisition for National Highways (NH) development in the district by December 31.
Addressing a meeting of officials and people’s representatives on road development here on Saturday, the Minister said a meeting convened by Minister for Public Works G. Sudhakaran in Thiruvananthapuram on July 18 had chalked out plans to accelerate land acquisition for NH development. Land acquisition was required in 22 villages in the district, he said.
District Collector P. Bala Kiran told the meeting that the land acquisition proceedings were in progress in the Karivellur-Morazha and Kunhimangalam-Cheruthazham sectors and in areas notified for the proposed Kannur bypass under four tahsildars.
Buildings and public places were being excluded as much as possible, he said adding that the alignment was being drawn to ensure that places of worship were not affected by the land acquisition.
Payyannur MLA C. Krishnan said some concerns were being raised about some family temples in Vellur, Payyannur and Pariyaram areas in the areas notified for land acquisition. The Public Works Department (NH Division) officials said alignment had been finalised for NH development in these areas to ensure that they are not affected. Taliparamba MLA James Mathew that the local people raising concerns about acquisition in some areas should be taken into confidence and told that the sketch being prepared for land acquisition was not final.
District panchayat president K.V. Sumesh was also present at the meeting.
