Date:22/11/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/11/22/stories/2007112250290100.htm

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100 acres for ISRO’s space institute

NH 47 between Thrissur and Edappally to be developed for four-lane traffic

Ordinance for formation of Malabar Devaswom
SC/STs’ fee in unaided schools to be reimbursed

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Cabinet on Wednesday decided to give 100 acres at Thennur village in Thiruvananthapuram district free of cost for the proposed campus of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST).

Briefing presspersons on Cabinet decisions, Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan said the State government would build a road to the site on the Ponmudi hills. The revenue land was part of the land returned to the State by Ponmudi Tea and Rubber Company in 1917. Though the government had offered 125 acres, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which runs the IIST, said that 100 acres would suffice.

The Chief Minister said that Forest Divisional Officer N. Balakrishna Pillai who had reported that the land was forest had no right to say so. Officials were making unnecessary statements because the government had taken action against some officials who had aided the Merchiston estate in a land deal with ISRO. The land had trees of up to 30 feet in height. The predominant species were ‘Njaval’ (Jamun) and ‘Chenkurinji’ (Gulta travancorica: it is a species found only in areas south of the Aryankavu pass).

NH development

Mr. Achuthanandan said that the National Highway 47 between Thrissur and Edappally near Kochi would be developed for four-lane traffic on build-operate-and-transfer basis. The government would sign a support agreement with the National Highways Authority of India and the private agency Guruvayoor Infrastructure Company for this purpose. The project would cover 40 km of the highway between Thrissur and Angamaly and 28 km between Angamaly and Edappally.

The government would issue an ordinance amending the Madras Hindu Religious and Charitable Institutions Act for formation of Malabar Devaswom Board. The aim was better management of temples in Malabar.

The Cabinet also decided to reimburse the fee paid by Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in schools including unaided ones. This would be subject to a maximum of Rs.2,000 a year.