Amid concerns about the incongruity between the positions of the two Central Ministries – Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) – over the proposed National Highway (NH) bypass passing through the paddy fields of Keezhattoor near Taliparamba, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership here has intervened to put on hold the final notification issued for land acquisition till alternative alignment proposals are examined.
The BJP leadership in the State that had backed the agitation by the Vayalkilikal, a local action committee for protection of the paddy fields of Keezhattoor, against the bypass alignment that passes through the fields, has been in an awkward situation after the MoEF-appointed expert’s report called for exploring alternatives to the controversial alignment while the MoRTH has already issued 3D notification finalising that alignment. While the MoEF report vindicates the concerns of the Vayalkilikal and the BJP, the 3D notification published in the Government of India Gazette is seen as a rejection of those concerns.
“I have given a representation to the MoRTH and it was followed by a discussion and after that a direction has been given to the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) not to proceed on the 3D notification,” BJP national executive member P.K. Krishnadas told The Hindu . He also informed that a high-level meeting would also be held by MoRTH in New Delhi in the first week of August to be attended by action committee representatives, BJP leaders and NHAI officials. He said that while the BJP’s demand was that alternatives should be examined, the State government was taking an adamant stand that the bypass should pass through the paddy fields of Keezhattoor.
When contacted, Vayalkilikal leader Suresh Keezhattoor said that the action committee had not yet received any official communication about the decision of the MoRTH to ensure status quo on the issue of bypass alignment and about the upcoming meeting in New Delhi. He said that the action committee had been contacted by the BJP leaders including Mr. Krishnadas to inform of the party’s intervention over the issue.
