No To Aranmula International Airport

Why there is an urgent, thirsty need for the private Aranmula airport at an aerial distance of 95 km from the Kochi International airport and 93 km from the Thiruvananthapuram airport project.
The project, encompassing hotels, shopping malls and residential complexes, would change the face of the Aranmula region, which should be conserved as a heritage village. The proposed airport would require wetlands, paddy fields, flood plains of the Pampa River and levelling of neighbouring hillocks. An entire eco-system comprising a natural age-old hydrological system would be destroyed.
The project, causing grave harm to nature, would amount to trampling upon the rights of the local people and there were no moral, scientific or legal grounds to set up the project.
Archbishop Soosapakiam, Jnanpith laureate O N V Kurup, poet Sugathakumari, film-maker Adoor Gopalakrishnan and leaders of all political parties are among signatories to the petition. A dharna was held here last evening to press for the demand. Former diplomat K P S Menon, Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan, CPI-M leader Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, C Divakaran (CPI), O Rajagopal, V Muraleedharan (BJP), V M Sudheeran, V D Satheesan (Cong), N K Premachandran (RSP) and other social and cultural leaders participated in the dharna.
(CPRIGHT asianet online and Thiruaranmula)


Aranmula - Charter of Demands
Anti – Airport Action Council Aranmula
The All Party Meet and Public Meeting Held on April 27, 2013 at the Royal Hall, Pathanamthitta under the Leadership of Smt. Sugathakumari has finalized the Following Charter of Demands with Regard to the Proposed International Airport at Aranmula.
1. Summarily Cancel the Aranmula Airport Project
2. Cancel the Industrial Area Declaration around Aranmula and Stop the Proposed Special Economic Zone Declaration Plans if Any
3. Withdraw all Permissions whatsoever Granted in Connection with the Aranmula Airport Project
4. Cancel the Kerala State Government’s Decision to take 10 percent Share in the Aranmula Airport Private Company
5. Enquire in to and Take Corrective Action With Regard to the Cases where Land Owned by the Weaker Sections have been Illegally Captured by the Private Airport Company
6. Stop Any Attempt to Weaken the Existing Laws for Wetlands – Paddy Fields Protection in Kerala State
7. Follow up the Violations of Law as pointed out by the Hon. Vigilance Court, Kottayam and Hon. District Collector, Pathanamthitta and take Action against the Accused
8. Distribute the Land Illegally Held in Possession by the Private Airport Company in violation of the Land Reforms Act to the Landless Poor for Agriculture
9. Provide Financial Support and Necessary Orders to various Departments that the Paddy Cultivation in the banks of the Pampa River is revitalized, that Food and Water Security are achieved.
Declared by Shri Mullakkara Ratnakaran, MLA, at the Meeting held at Pathanamthitta on 27 April 2013 Chaired by Smt. Sugathakumari, in the presence of Shri O Rajagopal, Shri M A Baby, Shri Pannyan Ravindran, Shri Thomas Issac, Shri Gopalankutty Master, Shri N K Premachandran, Shri Mathew T Thomas, Shri Binoy Viswom, Shri Philipose Thomas, Smt. Maleth Saraladevi, Shri P C Unnichekkan, Shri A Padmakumar, Adv. K Haridas, Shri P Induchoodan, Shri N K Nandakumar, Shri P Prasad, Shri P R Shaji, Shri Pradeep Ayroor, Shri S Ananthakumar, Shri Omalloor Sankaran, Shri Kurunthar Uthaman, Shri Krishnan Kutty, Shri Kummanam Rajasekharan and Others.

(CPRIGHT asianet online and Thiruaranmula)