Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 15 The Keralam government is examining the land acquisition process for the proposed expansion of Kannur International Airport and will take an early decision to address the difficulties faced by affected families, Chief Minister V D Satheesan said on Thursday.
Replying to a submission by MLA T K Govindan in the state Assembly, Satheesan said the government was considering measures to resolve the issues related to land acquisition for extending the airport runway from 3,050 metres to 4,000 metres.
The government had granted administrative sanction on December 27, 2016, for acquiring 99.92 hectares for the runway extension. However, the acquisition has remained incomplete despite the notification being issued in 2017, he said.
The government had earlier approved a special rehabilitation package of Rs 10 lakh for families facing displacement, on the lines of the compensation package provided for land acquired for the runway and safety area at Kozhikode airport.
However, the affected families were dissatisfied with the package and had boycotted hearings and submitted representations, seeking a package equivalent to the one provided during the initial phase of land acquisition for the airport or Rs 15 lakh, the CM said.
The proposed acquisition of 99.3235 hectares in Keezhallur village for extending the runway is estimated to cost around Rs 942.93 crore, and the matter is under examination, he said.
Recalling that he had raised the issue in the Assembly when he was an MLA, Satheesan described the delay as “unfortunate”. He said he had visited the area and found that houses in the locality had begun to deteriorate.
In 2017, a section of the airport’s compound wall collapsed due to heavy rainwater flow, damaging seven houses, he said, adding that despite assurances that the land would be acquired on a war footing, the process had not been completed.
Satheesan also questioned the suitability of the identified land for runway expansion, saying it was at a considerably lower elevation and would require extensive earth filling to construct a runway.
He said he did not understand why a notification had been issued when the land was unsuitable for the purpose, causing hardship to local residents.
The government was examining the matter to determine what steps could be taken to alleviate the difficulties faced by the people, he said.
Satheesan said a decision would be taken as soon as possible. The government would also hold further discussions with landowners who had lost land to arrive at a resolution on the compensation package, he added.
(PTI News)
