Pathanamthitta: The Kerala High Court has cancelled the government notifications and related reports issued for acquiring land at Cheruvally Estate and surrounding areas for the proposed Sabarimala Greenfield Airport.
The court observed that the state failed to scientifically justify the need for 2,570 acres of land. According to the Airport Authority of India, only 1,200 acres are required for an airport.
As per the 2013 Land Acquisition Act, the land acquired must be limited to the minimum required for the project.
The court criticised the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) Unit, the Expert Committee, and the government for failing to explain why such a large area was necessary.
The government’s argument that the extra land was intended for “future development” was also rejected, as the reports did not clearly specify what those developments were or how much land they would need.
The court cancelled portions of the SIA report, expert committee report, and government order related to land size, as well as the preliminary notification. It also directed the state to conduct a fresh Social Impact Assessment to determine the accurate land requirement for the project.
