KGS not backing down from Aranmula airport project

Emboldened by the Modi Government’s policy of setting up low-cost airports in smaller towns across the country, the Chennai-based KGS Group is going ahead with its controversial airport project at Aranmula in Kerala, whose environmental clearance was struck down by the National Green Tribunal a fortnight ago.

“We have decided to go ahead with the project after rectifying the procedural lapses pointed out by the NGT,” Gigi George, Managing Director of KGS Aranmula International Airport Ltd, said. “And, if everything goes well, the airport will be commissioned by the end of 2016.”

He said the company would move the Supreme Court against the NGT verdict shortly. “At the same time, we will take parallel administrative steps to address the NGT concerns by asking a top accredited agency to have another environmental impact study,” he said.

The NGT had late last month cancelled the environmental clearance issued by the Ministry of Environment and Forests as it found the agency that had carried out the environmental impact study had not been accredited and that the public hearing on the project had not been carried out in accordance with the set norms.

He said the question of violating the sanctity of the Parthasarathy Temple at Aranmula would not hold water as the company had already agreed to shift the runway by 285 meters on the suggestion of the government.

Gigi said KGS had hired the agency Envirocare in good faith as the same agency had carried out studies for the Chennai airport expansion, as well as Baroda and Raipur airports. However, he admitted that the company had made a mistake by rushing the whole process.

“We are confident that we can secure the environmental clearance as it was cancelled on procedural grounds,” he said.

Asked if the company would go in for a fresh public hearing on the project to satisfy the NGT, he said it was up to the Pollution Control Board to take a decision.

Gigi said the environmental damage caused by the proposed airport was highly exaggerated as, he claimed, it would be much lower than the damage caused by the ongoing Kannur airport project or the Cochin airport which was completed several years ago.

He noted that KGS had already sunk around ₹300 crore in the project. Around 400 acres had been acquired paying market prices and only 30 acres more has to be acquired for the airport in which the Kerala Government had a 10 per cent stake.

He denied that the Reliance Group had any investment in the project. Of course, Reliance had a ₹ 200 crore stake in the sister concern, KGS Developers. He said the Modi Government’s policy on going in for more airports augured well for the Aranmula project.