CM to take up Colachel port issue with PM

The State government has apprised the Centre of its concerns about the in-principle clearance to set up a port at Eenayam in Colachel, 30 km from Vizhinjam, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said. Replying to a submission of M. Vincent in the Assembly on Friday, Vijayan said that he would again share the apprehensions of the State with Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he meets him in Delhi later this month.

The issue will be discussed at the MPs’ conference to be held here next week. Earlier the Centre had denied permission for Vizhinjam port on the premise that it was near the Vallarpadom Container Transshipment Terminal, which is 250 km away from the new port.

The decision to set up the new port at an estimated cost of INR 25,000 crore near Vizhinjam is illogical.

The Centre had offered viability gap funding of INR 816 crore for Vizhinjam port and it would have to give a higher amount as VGF for the Eenayam port, which would also incur a loss, he said.

Work on the Vizhinjam port has already begun, but now its control is vested with the Adani Group and not the State government.

It has been proposed to complete the work within 1,000 days. The State government was committed to providing all facilities for the timely completion of the work. Vincent said that the local residents wanted only a small port for INR 2,000 crore and were opposed to the proposed major project.

He accused the Centre of excluding Vizhinjam from the Sagarmala project and including the proposed port in it. He demanded the government to hold an all-party meeting and also send an all-party delegation to Delhi to express the protest of the State in this score.

Source: http://goo.gl/qzDYMy