'Denial of environmental clearance to Vizhinjam serious'
Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan today said the state government would "seriously view" reports that the Union Environment Ministry was trying to deny clearance to the Vizhinjam seaport project.
February 17, 2011 / 08:53 IST
Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan today said the state government would "seriously view" reports that the Union Environment Ministry was trying to deny clearance to the Vizhinjam seaport project.
"There appears to be an attempt to thwart the project in the name of nearby Colachel port in Tamil Nadu. This will be viewed seriously and necessary steps taken to counter the move," Achuthanandan told reporters after a cabinet meeting.He said the cabinet today approved the short list of pre-qualified bidders and their Request For Proposal (RFP).The government had identified the area of implementation of the project at Vizhinjam near here and started acquiring land for construction activities. Steps were being finalised to begin construction, the Chief Minister said.The state proposed to spend Rs 450 crore to set up infrastructure facilities for the project. A Memorandum of Understanding had been signed with a consortium led by State Bank of Travancore for securing funds for the project''s implementation, he said.The cabinet also approved the new lease deed signed with Dubai-based TECOM for setting up the ambitious Smart City project at Kochi, the Chief Minister said. Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
