Emerging Kerala: Only projects worth Rs. 20,000 confirmed

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Contrary to the announcement by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy that projects worth Rs. 40,000 crore were confirmed at the three-day Emerging Kerala conclave which foresaw overall development of Kerala, sources say only projects worth Rs. 20,000 crore were ensured at meet.

The major projects include private townships, shopping malls, hospital-hotel constructions which are funded by NRKs. Volkswagen has disclaimed its plan of installing engine assembly unit worth Rs.2,000 crore which was declared by the Chief Minister on Friday.

The Rs 20,000 crore worth expansion plan of the Bharat petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) Kochi Refinery does not come under the Emerging Kerala.

The delegates only eyed Kochi for accomplishing their dreams. But their dreams were shattered when they came to know that they won’t get thousands of acres of land at Kochi.

LDF keeps away from 'Emerging Kerala' meet

KOCHI: CPI (M)-led LDF in Kerala Wednesday kept itself away from the 'Emerging Kerala 2012' investment meet, inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Senior Marxist leader and former Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan did not attend the meet, despite Chief Minister Oommen Chandy hoping that the opposition would not harbour a wholly negative approach to the initiative.

The opposition had sharply attacked the venture alleging that it appeared to be a ruse to alienate natural wealth to private business interests and signalled that its presence would not be there at the meet.

Achuthanandan had demanded that the meet be cancelled as proposals were 'anti people and disgraceful'.

Meanwhile, various organisations took out marches protesting against the meet.

Democratic Youth Federation of India, youth wing of the CPI (M) and All India Youth Federation, youth wing of CPI, took out processions at various points in the city.

The opposition said the government was forced to remove some of the projects highlighted in its website after controversy broke with regard to them.

The state run Infrastructure Kerala Ltd had proposed a Rs 200 crore project for the 'night life zone' which includes discotheques and bars in 18 acre area near Veli in the state capital. However, the project was later removed from the website.

Emerging Kerala: UDF's "green" MLAs sound caution

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After the opposition and some environmental groups voiced misgivings about the investment summit Emerging Kerala-2012, a group of MLAs from ruling Congress-led UDF Sunday cautioned that no project that would harm the state's ecology secured clearance.

Six legislators, most of them from Congress and locally known as "green" MLAs, welcomed the enterprise but said it should not be at the cost of precious natural wealth of Kerala.

"It is a very positive attempt to bring in projects aimed at the state's overall development and economic progress.... At the same time, when we try for new investment and business initiatives it is imperative that certain precautions are taken, certain checks and balances are in place...", they said in a post on the blog Greenthought Kerala.

The group comprised V D Satheesan, T N Pratapan, V T Balaram and Hybie Edan (all Cong), M V Shreyams Kumar (SJD) and K M Shaji (IUML).
They wanted the state government to ensure that no harm would be done to the bio-diversity of Kerala, environment and natural wealth.

The legislators also asked the government to ensure that all land transactions for projects should be transparent and the Land Reforms Act of 1980 and regulations aimed at safeguarding the rights of indigenous people like tribals be protected.

The fears expressed by the MLAs, however, were rejected as unfounded by several ministers in the Oommen Chandy cabinet.

"We are not going to clear any project that would harm the environment. Kerala's biggest asset is its greenery. Who is going to do any harm to it?" Industries Minister P K Kunhalikutty said.

Projected as a big ticket enterprise by the UDF Government, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is scheduled to open the three-day event at Kochi on September 12