Chief Minister Oommen Chandy has said that the State government will continue to support the Aranmula airport project. However, more land has been acquired for the project than required and this will be denotified as announced earlier.
The Chief Minister told the media here on Wednesday that several proposals had been mooted regarding the airport, including equity participation by the State. The government had not taken any decisions on the proposals. The project had proponents and opponents among the general public. The government would accept what was right and correct what was wrong.
Mr. Chandy said the government was committed to providing continuity to the projects mooted by the previous government. The airport proposal was one promoted during the term of the Left Democratic Front and the then Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan had signed the relevant files. The present government had not taken a position against the project. However, if there was anything wrong with the proposals, it would correct them openly.
Biennale
The Chief Minister said the government would cooperate with the Kochi- Muziris Biennale. However, he may not be able to attend the opening ceremony of the biennale because the Assembly would be in session on December 12. “The reason is only technical.”
Mr. Chandy said the government would not give further financial assistance to the biennale in view of alleged financial irregularities regarding Rs.5 crore sanctioned by the previous government. This did not mean that the government had come to a conclusion that the organisers were guilty. The inspection wing of the Finance Department, which had scrutinised the expenditure, had reported serious irregularities. These had been referred to the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau for investigation.
