And finally, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) has fulfilled its poll promise of cancelling the notification declaring Aranmula and its surrounding areas as an industrial area, and to withdraw the in-principle clearance granted in 2010 by its own government for the controversial airport project in the heritage village.
Environmentalists have taken the affidavit filed by the Deputy Secretary of the Industries Department before the High Court on Wednesday, informing it of the government’s decision to cancel the industrial area notification order and to initiate steps for withdrawing the in-principle clearance granted for the airport project, as the last nail hammered in the coffin of the controversial project.
Reminiscent of the Silent Valley agitation of the 1970s, the anti-airport stir launched by villagers gained national attention under the leadership of renowned poet B.Sugathakumari, with various socio-environmental and political leaders extending solidarity to it.
The anti-airport stir brought about enviable unity among warring political groups.However, the recent decision of the Expert Appraisal Committee of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, granting Terms of Reference to the KGS Group for conducting yet another environment impact assessment in the Aranmula Puncha, had invited strong public protests.
The state government’s decision to cancel the clearances given by it for the project has now left the ball in the Centre’s court.
