Kerala govt begins land acquisition for Sabarimala airport amid ownership dispute
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government has issued orders to acquire land for the proposed Sabarimala airport. The government initiated the land acquisition procedure even as a dispute over ownership of the land is pending before the court.
The order, issued by the revenue secretary A Jayathilak, has entrusted the Kottayam District Collector to acquire 2263.13 acres of land with the Cheruvally Estate for the airport project.
A high level meeting led by the Chief Minister had earlier decided to go ahead with the Sabarimala green field airport project.
The land will be acquired as per the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act 2013. In view of the ongoing dispute over ownership of land, the compensation amount would be paid before the court. The government will take over the land as per Section 77 of the Act. The government has already filed a petition before the court in Pala, claiming ownership of the land.