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Time of India
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Govt's tall claims collapsing like NH: Oppn leader
K ottayam: The progress report of the state govt, which is a self-praising exercise, has in reality brought out the shortcomings of the govt, said opposition leader V D Satheesan. Speaking at a meet-the-press event at Kottayam Press Club on Saturday, Satheesan said that since the report was prepared before the collapse of the national highway (NH), the report takes the credit for constructing the NH in the state. However, later on, the CM put the onus on the Centre and said that the state has no role. Satheesan also said that cracks have appeared in around 100 spots on the NH. The tall claims put up by the LDF govt are collapsing like the NH, he said. More cracks are likely in the rains ahead. He also said that the constructions along the NH are unscientific. The state PWD is reiterating that everything is being examined and observed in detail. Those who claimed the credit for the NH are not to be seen after cracks appeared. In an apparent dig at PWD minister P A Mohamed Riyas, Satheesan said that it would be better if reels are shot from the places where cracks have appeared. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng với sàn môi giới tin cậy IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Satheesan also reminded that the proposed SilverLine project is an environmental disaster. He said that the UDF will not allow its implementation even if the LDF govt gets permission from the Centre. "UDF took such a decision based on a detailed study. The project was introduced even without a DPR. K-Rail will ruin the state financially as well as ecologically. During the rainy season, boats will have to be used along K-Rail," he said. Satheesan also alleged that what the CM said about the NH was all wrong. The CM said that the NHAI shut down during the UDF rule. The opinion since the time of V S Achuthanandan govt was that the road should be built in 30m. All parties were on strike at that time due to the difficulty in acquiring land. It was only after the UPA govt brought the Right to Fair Compensation Act in 2013 that land could be acquired by paying eight to 10 lakh for each cent. It was because of that law the govt was able to acquire land. In 2014, the UDF govt held an all-party meeting and issued an order allowing the Centre to build a road in 45m, he said. Another claim by the chief minister and others is that the Kerala govt has given Rs 5,000cr to acquire the land. State govts can help in acquiring the land according to the value capture finance model introduced by the central govt in 2021. According to the reply in Parliament, up to 100% of the land has been acquired by states like Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Punjab, Himachal, and West Bengal. Despite this, the state govt is claiming the Rs 5,000cr given as credit. In this situation, has the Kerala govt signed a value capture finance agreement? If so, the govt should disclose its details, Satheesan said.
The Print
24-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
LoP terms claims in LDF govt's progress report as false
Referring to the ongoing controversy surrounding the damage to various sections of NH-66, Satheesan reiterated his allegation that the construction was 'unscientific and faulty' and that 'no soil testing' was carried out before building the highway. Satheesan, at a press conference here, contended that all the claims of the Left government have collapsed, like the various sections of the National Highway(NH)-66 during the recent rains. Kottayam(Kerala), May 24 (PTI) Leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan on Saturday alleged that none of the claims the LDF government made in a progress report it issued to itself at the conclusion of its 4th anniversary celebrations were correct. He said that the UDF never opposed the widening of the NH-66, but it and other political parties, including the Left and the BJP, had opposed the acquisition of the land for the project as the compensation being given was meagre. He claimed that after the UPA government enacted the Right to Fair Compensation Act in 2013, land acquisition became easier as the compensation amount increased manifold and people came forward offering their plots for the project. Satheesan also rejected the CPI(M) contention that Kerala was the only state to pay for land acquisition for NH development. He said that according to a reply given in the Parliament, several states, including Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and West Bengal, have contributed towards the cost of land acquisition, in some cases even upto 100 per cent. The opposition leader said that this was done as part of the Value Capture Finance Model — a scheme the central government brought in 2021 — which permits state governments to help in land acquisition. He said that the state government should disclose the agreement, if any, it entered into as part of that scheme. Satheesan alleged that initially the state government and its The Public Works Department (PWD) claimed they were carefully scrutinising every phase of the NH construction and after the work was completed they claimed credit for it. 'Now that cracks have appeared in hundreds of places along the NH, they are nowhere to be seen. CM has now said that the state government has nothing to do with the NH development and the entire responsibility lies with National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and the Centre,' he contended. He also alleged that the state government has no complaints against the NHAI or the Centre for the damages to the NH at various places. Besides the highways, the state government, in its progress report, has also claimed credit for the Vizhinjam port, the public healthcare system in the state, implementing the GAIL gas pipeline and the various welfare schemes among others, Satheesan contended. He claimed that the state government can only claim credit for delaying the Vizhinjam port, collapse of various welfare boards in the state and the crores of arrears of pensions and DA to be paid to current and retired government employees. He also claimed that it was one of the ministers in the current LDF administration who opposed to the GAIL pipeline during the Oommen Chandy government. Satheesan also alleged that collection and storage of coconuts and paddy have failed in the state and the government did not increase the minimum support price of rubber to Rs 250 as promised by it. He said that the only thing the UDF opposed was the K-Rail's Silverline project and asserted that this initiative will never be allowed in Kerala. PTI HMP HMP ADB This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
