'BJP should presuade Centre for elevated highway at Keezhattur'

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has asked the BJP state leadership to persuade the central government to clear the proposal for an elevated highway at Thaliparamba if they really support the protesters in Keezhattur.
"The state government has submitted such a proposal to the Centre. The Union government will have to take a decision. The BJP workers who joined the protest at Keezhattur should put pressure on Modi government to approve the proposal for elevated highway," Kodiyeri demanded in an article in the CPM mouthpiece Deshabhimani on Saturday.

"Instead of doing that, launching a protest against the state government is mala fide. The agitators said that they would take the protest to Chengannur where bypoll will be held. With this, their stand against the LDF has been exposed," said Kodiyeri.

The CPM state secretary made it clear that developing the national highways in the state was part of the LDF's election manifesto and the government was committed to doing that. "We have said bypasses needed to be constructed at some places and promised to complete them on a war footing. Development of national highways is mandatory for road development. It is natural that land acquisition triggers protest. The policy of the LDF government is to strike a balance between development and conservation of the environment. In 2008, it was the previous LDF government which introduced an Act to protect paddy land and wetland. The Pinarayi Vijayan government brought in a legislation to ensure that if agricultural land is acquired for development, agriculture will be encouraged in other parts to compensate the loss," said Kodiyeri.

The protest held at Keezhattur was attended by people who were 'imported' from different parts. Local residents boycotted it. Of the 60 people who should surrender land, only four are opposing the project now," he said. Kodiyeri also challenged the double standards of anti-communist forces who criticised the government citing the lack of development in Kannur and Kasargod and at the same time opposed any development work there.