The Poovar grama panchayat, on Friday, adopted a resolution urging the State government for steps to set up the proposed ship building yard at Poovar.
The panchayat committee unanimously adopted the official resolution, moved by panchayat president Anto Marceline.
Citing studies, Mr. Marceline said the site had been found suitable for the project because of its geographical features, water depth of 13 metres, and availability of land on the Poovar-Pozhikara coast. Mr. Marceline said the proposed site was uninhabited, obviating the need for displacement of families. Road and rail connectivity and proximity to the international shipping lane and the Vizhinjam container transshipment terminal were other advantages.
Mr. Marceline said former Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan had written to the then Union Minister for Shipping and Ports T.R. Baalu highlighting the need for a ship building yard at Poovar.
The resolution stressed the need for an integrated development package for the Vizhinjam-Poovar coast, instead of concentrating all development activities at Vizhinjam. It said the ship building yard had to be implemented as a separate project. He alleged that real estate and tourist resort ventures were trying to torpedo the proposal.
