The Kerala Government’s move to grant exemption to the excess land under the possession of the KGS group, the main promoters of the private airport project at Aranmula, has evoked strong protest from social, political and environmental groups citing that the the government stand is against public interest.
Anti-airport activists said that Revenue Minister Adoor Prakash’s statement that the government had discretionary powers to grant exemption to excess land and the cabinet could take a decision on it, amounted to violation of Constitution and a challenge to the law of the land.
Leaders and activists opposing the airport said that Adoor Prakash should not have made such a statement when the case related to the issue is pending before the High Court.
They said that it was the Revenue Department which took action against the company and the minister has now made a statement against his own department. Ranni MLA and CPM leader Raju Abraham told Express that Adoor Prakash’s statement was against legal principles. ‘’When a big protest is taking place against the airport, the minister’s statement is against the sentiments of the people,’’ he said.
Aranmula Paithruka Grama Karmasamithi patron Kummanam Rajashekaran told Express that Adoor Prakash has now come out against his own department. “Making a public statement in favour of complainant in a case where the government is the respondent amounts to perjury,’’ he said. CPI Pathanamthitta district secretary P Prasad said that Adoor Prakash had disowned his own department.
‘’The minister’s statement is against the Constitution. A case is pending in the High Court and his statement will help only the land mafia in the state,’’ he said. Prasad said that they would not allow anything that would dilute the provisions of Kerala Land Reforms Act. “Adoor Prakash’s statement that the cabinet could take any decision was a challenge to the existing law of the land. As per law, if excess land is available it should be distributed among the landless,’’ he said. Environmentalist and poet Sugathakumari opined that it was the minister’s statement was unethical and illegal. “As per law, the excess land should have been distributed to the landless and not the private companies,’’ she said. Kummanam said that the government cannot take any unilateral stand with regard to granting exemption in public interest.
“If exemption is given based on public interest, they should have conducted a public hearing,’’ he said. Moreover, he alleged that the company was seeking exemption for the land illegally purchased by them. “The company is not the legal owner of the property and exemption cannot be granted to them,’’ he said. Kummanam said they were not opposing the airport as such and if needed the government could set up the airport at any of barren land available in plenty in the district or land under the illegal possession of plantation owners.
