The Youth Congress(I) State president, P.C. Vishnunath, MLA, has called upon the Government to take immediate steps to facilitate construction of the proposed international airport at Aranmula with out any further delay.
Mr Vishnunath was inaugurating the march organised by the Youth Congress(I) district unit here, demanding all necessary Government support and clearance for the proposed airport project at Aranmula.
The MLA said the proposed airport project would be of great help in generating employment opportunities in the region. Moreover, the airport project will lead to the overall development of the district, he adds.
Mr A. Sureshkumar, municipal chairman; Vettoor Jyotiprasad, Congress(I) Seva Dal district chairman; M.G. Kannan, Johnson Vilavinal, Aneesh Varikkannamala, Congress(I) and Youth Congress(I) district leaders, also spoke.
A long-standing demand
Addressing a press conference at Pathanamthitta Press Club, later, Mr Vishnunath, said the airport project has been a long-standing demand and dream of the people of Central Travancore region from where a large number of educated and skilled people have been migrated to different parts of the world for employment. The proposed airport would be of great help to these emigrants, he said.
Moreover, the Sabarimala pilgrims coming from far off places too would be benefited with the project, he added.
Mr Vishnunath said he could not find any justification with the opposition raised by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Bharatiya Janata Party against the airport project.
CPI(M), BJP blamed
He alleged that both the CPI(M) and BJP have been keeping a blind eye towards the illegal conversion taken place at the Aranmula paddy fields all these years.
Moreover, various clearances, including the setting up of the KGS Aranmula Greenfield Airport Single Window Clearance Board and notification declaring 500 acres of land as industrial area, have been issued during the previous Left Democratic Front Government rule, he said.
However, when asked about the extent of land required for the airport project and the environmental issues in store in the event of the wanton conversion required for the proposed airport, the MLA said he was yet to gather the details regarding the same.
Withdraw notification
Mr Vishnunath said he was for withdrawal of the notification issued by the Industries Department in toto and for implementation of the airport project without evicting a single family.
The MLA said he would be in the forefront of the agitation, in the event of evicting any family in the name of the airport project.
