Satheesan criticises LDF govt for delay in completion of Vizhinjam port

Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan on Friday criticised the state's LDF government for the delay in completion of the Vizhinjam port six years after the company entered into a deal with the previous UDF government.

The Congress leader alleged that the delay in implementing the Vizhinjam port was due to ''collusion'' between the state government and the Adani group and urged the government to take steps to complete it on time.

His statement came a day after Kerala Minister for Ports Ahamed Devarkovil and the Adani group, after their meeting, said the Vizhinjam port would be operational by December 2023.

Satheesan said as per the agreement between the state government and the Adani Group, the project was to be completed by December 2019. The government entered into the agreement with the Adani Group in 2015 during the Congress-led UDF rule on the condition that the project be completed in 1,000 days.

As per the agreement, if the project is not completed after that, there is a provision of imposing a fine of Rs 12 lakh per day. But the government is not taking any steps in this regard despite the delay in executing the project, he alleged.

Noting that the company has now asked for three more years for the completion of the project, the opposition leader alleged ''mystery'' in the state government not taking legal action against it for violating the terms of the agreement or imposing a fine as per the agreement.

The land for the project was acquired during the UDF rule, the Congress leader said and alleged that the Left government had not been able to do anything for the last six years.

The government also failed to provide basic amenities, including a railway line for the project, he alleged.

The opposition leader said a 3,100-m long groyne (sturdy barrier built out into the sea from a beach to check erosion and drifting) is to be constructed for preventing erosion of the coastal area but only 850-m has been completed so far.

Minister Devarkovil said on Thursday that the Adani officials have said the work got delayed due to various natural calamities since 2018 and thereafter, the COVID outbreak from 2020.

He had said these were genuine issues raised by the company and the same can be addressed.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)