Resistance on flimsy grounds blocking devpt. Works in Kerala:

In candid remarks, Kerala Chief Secretary Jiji Thomson today said resistance on flimsy grounds and obsolete laws were among main factors blocking many development projects including underground pipe-laying work from Kochi LNG Terminal to Bengaluru, and pointed to the success of Gujarat in a similar project.
"Though the Single Window System for speedy clearance of projects was put in place decades ago, even today it is not functioning effectively," Thomson said at a meet-the-press programme on 'Political and Developmental Debate' at Thiruvananthapuram Press Club here.
"We organised Global Investors Meet in 2003 and Emerging Kerala in 2012. Many projects were planned. However, due to some reasons projects failed to take off," he said.

Thomson, who took over as Chief Secretary four months ago, said, "When reasons for the same were looked into, it was found that outdated laws is one of the reason." Efforts are on to make the laws more simple, he said.
It was also found that Single Window System had many "small windows that put hurdles" in the way of projects.
Stating that resistance on flimsy grounds delayed many projects, Thomson said it was very essential for the state's development to carry out underground pipe-laying work for carrying LNG from the Kochi LNG terminal to Mangaluru and Bengaluru, but was delayed due to opposition from a section of people.

Petronet LNG Ltd. Has set up the Kochi LNG Terminal at Puthuvyppin at a cost of about Rs 4,500 crore three years ago, but its capacity utilisation was below two per cent due to delay in completing the pipe-laying work, he said.

The Centre had repeatedly asked the state to complete the LNG project without delay whenever the state approached the Centre for getting sanction for new projects, he said.
"The Centre also told the state that it was shameful on the part of the state and for the nation that the project is incomplete," he said.
Due to opposition from a section of people for carrying out the underground pipeline for carrying LNG, only 17 km length had been completed till now.

"On the other hand the work of LNG pipe-laying in Gujarat has already completed 2,800 km and the state government was getting a revenue on account of tax to the tune of Rs 3,000 crore annually," he said.
"Kerala also could have earned this much of revenue. But due to objections on flimsy grounds, the project has been delayed," he said, adding all political parties wanted to complete the project and opposition was only from certain 'extremist' elements.