Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] State secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has said that people will react if survey stones for K-Rail are removed without their approval.
His response comes in the wake of a clash between CPI(M) and Congress workers during the installation of survey stones by K-Rail officials at Nadal in Kannur on Monday.
Despite the pro-K-Rail stance of the landowners, the United Democratic Front and Bharatiya Janata Party were staging protests and removing the survey stones for political reasons, Mr. Balakrishnan told the media here on Tuesday.
“A fight is no solution for anything, but do not create conditions for it,” he said.
He further said that people were reacting against the forcible removal of survey stones in many places. None of these were decided by the party and people were naturally reacting against it, he said.
Talks on the cards
The project would be implemented only after holding discussions with the people and understanding their needs, he said.
He said that the compensation given would be higher than the market price. In panchayat areas, it would be four times the market price and in urban areas it would be two and a half times higher. In addition, the committee, which included people’s representatives, would hold conciliatory talks with landowners.
To a query on the removal of K-Rail critic Joseph Mathew from the debate on the SilverLine project, Mr. Balakrishnan said the decision to invite anybody was not taken by the CPI(M), but the K-Rail authorities.
