Aranmula Airport: Govt not to challenge Green Tribunal verdict

Kerala Government will not be challenging the Green Tribunal's decision of setting aside the Centre's Environmental Clearance to the airport project at Aranmula in the state, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said here today.
Chandy, however, said the government would not oppose the project if its promoters, KGS Group, obtained a favourable decision by appealing against the Green Tribunal verdict.
"The Government is not opposed to taking up projects without causing harm to environment. In this case, it is the responsibility of the company to ensure that the project would not cause environmental damage," he told reporters here.
The Southern Bench of the Green Tribunal on Wednesday set aside the environmental clearance given to the greenfield airport by the previous UPA Government on a petition filed by Aranmula Heritage Village Protection Action Council.

The local resistance movement opposed the project, touted as a means to provide air link to famous hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa at Sabarimala, contending it would cause serious damage to environment.
The Tribunal had on April 2 last year granted an interim injunction on construction of the airport in Pattinamthitta District and also restrained Chennai-based KGS International Airport Limited from undertaking any activity on it.
Though UDF Government had earlier taken a favourable stand to the project major political parties including the Congress and CPI(M) had welcomed the Tribunal order.