By PTI
KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Monday requested the state authorities why it was finishing up a survey to establish properties for Social Impact Assessment (SIA) examine in relation to the SilverLine venture when it claims it presently has no intention of buying land for a similar.
Justice Devan Ramachandran mentioned SIA examine underneath the Fair Compensation Act was part of the land acquisition course of and if the state claims it has not intention to accumulate land, then the SIA wouldn’t be vital and subsequently, no survey was required to help it.
The questions and observations by the courtroom got here throughout listening to of a number of pleas of which some opposed the survey being performed and the others had been in opposition to the laying of concrete poles to establish land meant for the SIA examine.
The courtroom additionally questioned the necessity for an SIA examine in view of the Centre’s stand that it was “advisable” that land acquisition proceedings for the venture be stopped for now.
It additionally requested whether or not an SIA examine can be thought-about part of the pre-investment actions which had been permitted as a part of the in-principle approval granted to the venture by the Railways.
While itemizing the issues to February 18 to await particular clarification from the state on the queries raised and in view of the Centre’s stand, the courtroom mentioned additional survey “would be unnecessary” for now because the Railways has mentioned that the current alignment of the monitor needs to be altered.
In such a state of affairs, the expenditure on a survey can be “superfluous” and “wasted”, the courtroom mentioned and directed that until February 18 additional survey and acquisition steps in relation to the petitioners’ properties “shall stand deferred”.
The courtroom on January 20 had deferred the survey course of until February 7 to await sure clarifications from the state relating to the survey it was finishing up.
However, the state went in attraction to a division bench in opposition to the January 20 order.
The bigger bench, after listening to all of the stakeholders, reserved judgement within the attraction.
In response to the attraction, the Centre had filed an announcement during which it had mentioned that it was “advisable” that land acquisition proceedings for the venture be stopped at this stage as its monetary viability was “questionable” and feasibility of the current monitor alignment has not been agreed to by the Railway Ministry.
The similar stand was taken by the Centre within the proceedings earlier than Justice Ramachandran on Monday.
The Centre additional mentioned that permission was granted to Kerala Rail Development Corporation Limited (KRDCL) for conducting geotechnical investigations and hydrological investigations solely and topic to KRDCL’s adherence to the circumstances laid down wherever the alignment was going parallel to the Railway land.
“But permission to plant boundary stones was not agreed to, in the absence of an approved Detailed Project Report (DPR),” it mentioned.
The Centre additionally mentioned that in-principle approval “only means approval to go ahead with preparation of DPR etc which brings out the complete details of the project including financials”.
The state authorities, in the meantime, contended within the courtroom that current survey was being carried out to help the SIA examine after which it might take a name on whether or not any land wanted to be acquired.
It informed the courtroom that it has presently not declared any intention to accumulate land for the venture.
The Kerala authorities’s bold SilverLine venture, which is anticipated to scale back journey time from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod to round 4 hours, is being opposed by the opposition Congress-led UDF, which has been alleging that it was “unscientific and impractical” and can put an enormous monetary burden on the state.
The 540 kilometre stretch from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod can be developed by Ok-Rail — a three way partnership of the Kerala authorities and the Railway Ministry for growing railway infrastructure within the southern state.
Starting from the state capital, SilverLine trains may have stoppages at Kollam, Chengannur, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Tirur, Kozhikode and Kannur earlier than reaching Kasaragod.
