Sugathakumari in HC against Aranmula Airport

KOCHI: Poet Sugathakumari and two others on Friday approached the Kerala High Court challenging the state government’s sanction for a greenfield airport in Aranmula. According to the petitioners, the proposed airport did not have sufficient environmental clearance. It was being constructed after filling paddy land. Therefore, it was against the provisions of the Kerala Conservation of Paddy and Wetland Act and Rules. The clearance was granted under the provisions of the Kerala Industrial Single Window Clearance Board and Industrial Township Areas Development Act.The petitioners said the Act did not empower the state government to notify a particular area as industrial area and accord clearance for the project there. It was applicable only to projects coming up in the areas which have already been declared as industrial areas.The project will damage the ecosystem of the place. There was no need for an airport in Aranmula as three airports - Thruvananthapuram, Nedumbassery and Naval airport - were located within 150-km radius of Aranmula, the petitioners said.