KOCHI: Even as efforts are under way to build an exclusive cricket stadium in Kochi through land pooling, the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) is continuing with its all-out attempt to construct a stadium in Edakochi, which has drawn flak from several quarters after environmentalists pointed out the threat to mangroves in the area.
Though the proposal to reclaim the wetland was turned down by the ministry of environment and forests, the KCA has not scrapped its Edakochi plans. It is learned that the state government has again approached the Centre seeking permission for construction.
The Central government had turned down the plan after it found that Coastal Regulation Zone-I (CRZ) rules apply to the area and that a large swathe of mangroves would be destroyed as a result.“KCA purchased the land in 2005. Even then the land was categorised as CRZ-II. The project didn’t get a fillip due to several reasons and it was delayed. Later, the area was re-categorised as CRZ-I.
Within a short span of time, the mangroves also spread to other areas. Following this the Centre denied sanction for the project. But we have now asked the state government to approach the Centre seeking permission for the same proposal. If we get the approval we will drop the project to construct a stadium through land pooling,” a KCA source said.
The Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) had suggested the out-of-the-box plan of land pooling to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which is moving forward with its plan to construct a cricket stadium in Kochi. During his tenure as BCCI president, Saurav Ganguly had met Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan seeking his support for the proposal.
“We have approached the GCDA to provide nearly 30 acres of land for construction of the stadium. They will soon invite tenders under a land-pooling agreement. If we get the land through pooling, we will go ahead with it,” the source added.