Green tribunal stops airport project in Kerala

The tribunal stops construction work at the site and stays govt's order to convert 500 acres for industrial purpose till further orders

The National Green Tribunal has stayed the Aranmula private airport project, which is being developed by KGS Group in  Kerala. It may be noted, the Kerala Government is holding stake in the project and Malaysian-Government owned Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad was planning to take a stake.

Counsels Ramesh Kumar Chopra and Era Meyappan, who are appearing for the petitioner confirmed today's order by the Tribunal, which also said it is not allowing any constructions at the site and stayed the Government's Order to convert the 500 acre of land for industrial purpose till further orders.

Gigi George, managing director, KGS Group,"it might be some experte order and we will face it. We have the necessary approvals from the Government for the project and the State government is also part of the project, now”.

The Tribunal's order was in response to a petition filed by Aranmula Heritage Village Protection Action Council, which stated that the construction of a Private Airport in violation of the provisions of the Kerala Conservation of Paddy and Wet Land Act, 2008, Kerala Land Reforms Act, 1963, Environment Protection Act, 1986, Land Acquisition Act , etc.

In the Petition, copy of which is available with Business Standard, it was stated that the “No Objection Certificates and Permissions were obtained by Misrepresentation of facts. Unauthorised and illegal filling of paddy and wet land is made and by misleading the Government and authorities the clearance was obtained”.

It was further stated that clearance was obtained on the ground that there was no paddy cultivation for the past 10 ten years. The State Government and local bodies have distributed through Krishi Bhavan a huge amount during the last 10 years for paddy cultivation in most -part of the area except in places where water-logging occurred due to filling of Valiyathodu, a water flowing channel and tributary of the River Pampa, across the wet land and paddy field.

The area consisting of vast extent of paddy and wet lands which are to be preserved by the State Government are included in the proposed area of 500 Acres notified to be acquired for the construction of Private Airport.

The Rs 2,000 crore KGS Aranmula International Airport Ltd is expected to take off in 2014. The Airport is being set up in 700 acres of land in Aranmula, Pathanamthitta District, the pilgrimage capital of Kerala situated between Kerala's capital Thiruvanathapuram and business city of Kochi in Kerala.

The project is promoted by Chennai-based KGS Group. The airport will be privately owned and managed and it is designed to handled 1000 passengers at a time.

The Airport is located one hour drive away from 'Sabarimala', the second largest pilgrim centre in India with annual pilgrims of around 60 millions and the proposed Airport will provide infrastructure to pilgrims who wish by Air.

The majority of NRI passengers and NRK passengers of Trivandrum and Kochi Airport originate within 50 kms radius of this site and 40 per cent of the Kerala air traffic is hailing from the zone of the Airport.

(The story has been modified to incorporate a correction)