KANNUR: People came out in hordes in different parts of the state to protest against the laying of survey stones for SilverLine on Monday. However, CM Pinarayi Vijayan reiterated his government’s firm resolve to implement the project and sought to assuage the feelings of those who will be evicted from their land, promising them “heavy compensation”.
“The project will be implemented at any cost. The government will reach out to the people and explain about the project. Once they understand the reality, people will tell us not to bow before unreasonable protests. People will stand not with narrow-minded politics, but with broad-minded development outlook of the government,” Pinarayi said while inaugurating the CPM Puthur local committee office at Chendayad in Kannur district.
The CM said, “It’s quite natural for people who will lose their houses and lands to feel disappointed. But, the government will compensate them heavily for their losses. Nobody will be thrown into the streets. At many places, people will be given four times the market price as compensation for their land. Have you heard about this before?”
CM: If not now, when?
Claiming that the arguments against the project are bizarre, the chief minister said, “some of them say that the project should not be implemented now. If not now, when? This project is not for the people of this generation. This is a project for the future generations of our state,” he said.
Pinarayi accused the Opposition of trying to unsettle the government through anti-SilverLine agitation and bluntly told them that their attempts to “intimidate the government with cheap tricks” will not succeed.
Oppn warns CPM of Nandigram like situation
T’Puram: Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan on Monday came down heavily on the state government for ‘threatening’ people who agitate against the SilverLine. He said if the government continues to use the police force, the UDF workers will come to the forefront, uproot the survey stones and court arrest on their behalf. “If the chief minister continues with his arrogant stance, the CPM in the state will face a Nandigram-like situation,” Satheesan added.