HC asks Govt whether airport project reports placed before it

Kerala High Court today directed the state government to inform it whether various reports regarding the proposed Rs 2000 crore Aranmulla airport project were placed before it and how it had considered about the reports.
A division bench comprising Justice T R Ramachandran Nair and the Justice K Abrhaham Mathew observed that 10 per cent share of the proposed airport was with the state government which was also providing land for the project.
None of materials and reports were produced before the government,the court said referring to a report by filed by the Chief Secretary.
Earlier, the Chief Secretary filed an affidavit pointing that they have not received feasibility report prepared by KITCO, an engineering consultancy organisation.

The project promoters KGS group had claimed that Establishment of the airport comes within the Union list and they have got permission from the Central government.
The bench, in reply, asked if all basic infrastructure facilities like electricity, water, roads are to be provided by the state.

The bench posted the case to Mar 10 for further consideration.
Suo motu proceedings were initiated by the court following a report filed by the Devaswom Ombudsman that the project may cause hindrance to the Sri Parthasarthy temple and its gold mast in Aranmula.
The KGS Group's contention is that the flag mast, gopuram or any other structure of the temple need not be touched, modified or displaced for the construction of the airport.

The project, proposed to be built in a 700 acre area in Aranmula in Pathnamthitta district, is facing stiff opposition from environmental activists and opposition parties, who are saying that it would destroy many of the characteristics that qualify Aranmula as a heritage village by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage.
There are also fears that the project would affect the temple.