Coastal highway planned without environment, social impact study or DPR: UDF

Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 19 (PTI) The Congress-led UDF opposition on Friday said the Left government in Kerala was trying to construct a coastal highway without carrying out any environmental and social impact studies or a detailed project report.

Leader of Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan also questioned the need of a coastal highway when the National Highway 66, which is undergoing an expansion currently, passes close to the Kerala coast in many places.

Satheesan, speaking at a press conference here, urged the state government to re-examine the project, claiming that it was not viable.

The alternatives proposed by the UDF are to place emphasis on activities that help in sustainable development of the areas inhabited by fisherfolk, limit their displacement, provide fair compensation to those evicted and ensure safe resettlement.

Besides that, the opposition, in its report made public in the press conference, has recommended developing the existing coastal roads and bringing them up to national highway standards.

It also called for development of the waterways, saying that once that is completed cargo transportation costs can be reduced and the tourism sector will also get a boost.

He said that the opposition was going to place its report, submitted by a committee comprising RSP state secretary Shibu Baby John, Congress leader T N Prathapan and several UDF MLAs to study the requirement and feasibility of a coastal highway, before the government and will see what action is taken.

The opposition said that the UDF was not against development, but it should take place by protecting the environment and the livelihoods of people.

Satheesan contended that the proposed coastal highway will have a huge environmental and social impact as the coastal areas were densely populated as well as prone to erosion in many places due to lack of a sea wall.

In its report, shared by the UDF, it has also stated that a deep sub-structure would have to be built as part of the coastal highway to accommodate heavy vehicles and this was likely to prevent rainwater from reaching the sea naturally and thereby, increase the risk of floods in many areas.

The opposition also questioned the land acquisition for the project in the absence of a DPR and termed it "illegal".

It also contended that the government issued an order for acquiring land and the same was not beneficial for the fishermen.

As per the government order, the evicted fishermen will get either a flat measuring 600 square feet or Rs 13 lakh as compensation, whereas under the Right to Fair Compensation Act of 2013 they would have got a better package.

Even one-third of the compensation paid while acquiring land for the national highway would not be given to the fisherfolk, the opposition leader claimed. PTI HMP HMP ROH