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    LDF deflects blame, targets IUML, which points to 'piecemeal' process

    Synopsis

    ​​​​The blame game started after an aircraft coming from Dubai on Friday overshot the runway, went down 35 feet on a slope and broke into two pieces, killing 18 people, including the pilots.

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    New Delhi: With aviation regulator DGCA blaming the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Kerala government for not doing enough to acquire land for expansion of the Karipur Airport to make it safer with an extended runway, officials and party members of the LDF government told ET that they held more than six meetings in the last four years but IUML, an ally of Congress-led UDF, stalled the land acquisition process. IUML has denied the charges.

    The blame game started after an aircraft coming from Dubai on Friday overshot the runway, went down 35 feet on a slope and broke into two pieces, killing 18 people, including the pilots. A base for flights ferrying Hajj pilgrims, the Karipur Airport, or the Calicut International Airport, started operations in 1988 and international services from 2006. The airport has a tabletop runaway similar to that of Mangalore International Airport and was flagged for safety concerns.

    LDF minister KT Jaleel, who was leading the state government’s talks for land acquisition with local organisations since 2016, told ET the government has already completed the social impact survey mandated by the Centre and will begin with the actual process of land acquisition soon. “We made every effort but some locals and organisations such as Jamaat-e-Islami and Welfare party took a stand against the project. Some political parties also supported them. Even now we are firmly for acquiring land. And we will complete this project too, like we finished the 444-km GAIL natural gas pipeline project. Almost 95% of the land required for the project was acquired.”

    “We need at least 100 acres for the Calicut airport project and we will continue with our efforts,” Jaleel, who hails from Malappuram, told ET. The AAI in 2016 had firmed up plans to extend Kozhikode’s 2,750-m runway and was awaiting allocation of land by the Kerala government, officials said. Deputy leader of opposition and IUML leader MK Muneer, however, told ET that LDF had only provided “piecemeal rehabilitation promises” to the locals which is why they didn’t agree to the acquisition of their land. “The government failed to chalk out a scheme for acquiring land... If they had come up with a solid 30-year vision for the place, the process could have been done faster.

    The locals were worried they would be displaced multiple times so they wanted a clear proposal. The government left the process of consultations midway without addressing the apprehensions. They should have continued with it and convinced the affected parties. As part of the UDF when it was the ruling party, we have dealt with land acquisitions for projects too. The same locals that the government did not want to listen rushed to help the injured on Friday. It is important that their concerns are heard.”

    In 2016 when the process of land acquisition began, the State government had earmarked Rs.14,063 crore for land acquisition and other work for the airport, an official said. Apart from Malabar Development Council, Malabar Chamber of Commerce, Calicut Chamber of Commerce, industry bodies, elected representatives, officials from Malappuram, Wayanad and Kozhikode were called for the meetings that CM Vijayan had taken on this issue, the official added.

    "After the meetings the CM took, there were follow-up meetings too with district officials. They offered higher rates but when the locals did not agree, they withdrew the proposal..Eventually the attention shifted to Kannur airport which was built in 2015," C.E. Chakkunny, president of the Malabar Development Council, one of those who participated in the meetings said. "The airport needs 157 acres, and it is essential as more wide-bodied aircraft resumed services that are operational here," he added.

    Chakkunny said plans for expanding the airport have been going on for almost 30 years now. Apart from the cost of land being high, experts pointed out that in a highly urbanised State such as Kerala land for infrastructure projects is also seen as scarce, given the State's diverse demography that includes water bodies and mountains. Political parties have had to face scrutiny of environment and human rights activists during land acquisitions, and hence are careful while treading on these issues, they said.


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