And finally the Left Democratic Front (LDF) has fulfilled its poll promise of cancelling the notification declaring Aranmula and surrounding areas as industrial area by withdrawing the in-principle clearance granted by its own government for the controversial Aranmula airport project in 2010.
On the strength of an affidavit filed by the government before the Kerala High Court, the project has been shelved once and for all, say environmentalists.
The anti-airport stir launched by villagers under the leadership of poet B. Sugathakumari had attained national attention with various socio-environmental and political leaders extending solidarity with the people’s movement. During a visit to the proposed project site, Madhav Gadgil, ecologist, had observed that the project, if implemented, would be highly disastrous to the environment, ecology and even to the Pampa river and to the socio-economic spheres of Aranmula, identified as a heritage village by the United Nations Development Programme.
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The conversion of the environmentally sensitive and biodiversity-rich Aranmula puncha in the name of an airstrip began way back in 2004 when A.K. Antony was the Chief Minister. The conversion spree continued with during the Oommen Chandy regime too. The LDF government led by V.S. Achuthanandan had given in-principle clearance for the private airport project in early 2010.
There were also allegations that the private company, with strong political backing and bureaucratic support, had managed to obtain various clearances, in blatant violation of the key laws of the land. According to company managing director Gigi George, the proposal was to construct an international airport on 500 acres of land at an estimated cost of Rs.2,000 crore in two phases.
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The agitation gained momentum with the Aranmula Heritage Village Action Council, led by Kummanam Rajasekharan, entered the scene opposing the government notification declaring about 1,700 acres of land spread across the villages of Aranmula, Kidanganur and Mallappuzhaserry that houses ancient temples, sacred groves and other places of worship as industrial area.
The stir witnessed an unprecedented unity among political groups, that included the CPI(M), the BJP, and a group of Congress workers led by V.M. Sudheeran.