Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Study: 5 hills have to be razed to build Aranmula airport

Kochi: The Consultancy and Coordination directorate, which carried out a feasibility study for the proposed Aranmula airport, on behalf of the Airports Authority of India, has recommended to raze down the five hills for the project.
Contrary to the claims of the promoters of the airport project, at least 500 families and more than 1,500 persons, including Scheduled Castes and Schedules Tribes will have to be relocated once the project starts rolling at Aranmula, which is hailed as a heritage village.
A team of AAI engineers had visited the site on October 6, 2009, and Vincent Chan, executive director of Consultancy and Coordination directorate has sent the feasibility report to the Under Secretary to the Government of India (Ministry of Civil Aviation) on October 15, 2009. The report suggests and recommends razing down the hills around the project. Komalappoozhi, Kanakakunnu, Kozhimala, Kondoor moti and Chittorkkunnu should be razed to protect obstacle limitation surfaces(OLS).
The report envisages appropriation of 500 acres of fields and wetlands, raising project area by 15 metres, removal of all vegetation, hi-tension electricity lines and mobile towers from surrounding areas.
16/10/13 New Indian Express
To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline