Taking into account the concerns raised over the widespread loss of livelihood, the final social impact assessment (SIA) report on the proposed Sabarimala greenfield international airport at Erumely has highlighted the need to implement a special package for those depending on Cheruvally Estate for generations.
The final report, prepared after conducting a public hearing on the draft SIA report, has been submitted along with suggestions to mitigate the concerns raised by the residents in the project area. Though a host of issues were raised at the hearing, the majority of these pertained to rehabilitation of workers and employees at the estate, the core project area.
Holding that compensation may be provided to employees of Cheruvally Estate and the others affected indirectly by the project, the report also seeks to relocate religious centres in the project area.
To the queries pertaining to acquisition of land outside the estate, the report states that the earlier proposal was to acquire land only from the estate, which was later changed in consideration of technical factors such as runway crosswind. “With the position of the runway now being changed to east-west direction, land needs to be taken outside the estate,” it says.
As per the report, the project will directly affect 579 families, including 358 families outside the estate. Among those who will be losing their livelihood also include people who run business establishments in its neighbourhood. The land acquisition for the project will affect 149 concrete structures, 74 sheet-roofed and 30 tile-roofed buildings.
To queries concerning the presence of natural streams and a mount inside the project area, the authorities say the project will be implemented strictly as per the guidelines set by the Union Ministry for Environment and Forests.
The State government has constituted an expert committee comprising rehabilitation experts, socio-technical experts, and local body representatives to analyse the final SIA report.
The seven-member committee is headed by M.V. Bijulal, assistant professor at the School of International Relations and Politics, Mahatma Gandhi University. The committee will evaluate the SIA report as per Sections 7 (4) to 7 (6) in the LRR Act and submit its recommendations within two months.
The government will commence proceedings for issuing notification for land acquisition once the expert committee submits its report.
The authorities propose to take over a total of 1039.876 ha (2,570 acres) in Erumely South and Manimala villages in Kanjirappally taluk for the construction and development of the airport. This includes an additional extent of 307 acres outside the Cheruvally estate.
