Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will launch the Harita Keralam project aimed at developing the State’s farm sector at a function at Aranmula on October 29.
The Chief Minister will launch paddy cultivation in the Aranmula puncha that has been lying fallow for the past several years. Agriculture Minister V.S. Sunil Kumar will attend the function to be held at 11 a.m.
According to J. Sajeev, Special Officer of the Greening Mission Aranmula, and G. Jayaprakash, assistant executive engineer attached to the Agriculture Department, hectic preparations of the land spread over 56 ha in Aranmula puncha was under way. A total of 25 ha of the puncha have already been arable and the field preparation work in the remaining areas would be completed in one week.
Meanwhile, there were also reports on the move by certain political quarters to organise the launch of paddy cultivation in the puncha land assigned to Cooperative Engineering College at Aranmula thereby kicking up yet another controversy.
However, the District Collector has reportedly taken notice of the issue and a survey was conducted to assess the government land there on Monday. The Revenue team found that a sizeable portion of the puncha land there, except nine acres of private property, was government land that was allotted to the engineering college.
The government had given sanction for converting 12 to 14 acres of the puncha land belonging to the engineering college for its further expansion.
