Kerala - Alappuzha   

`Government backing resort owners'

By Our Staff Reporter

ALAPPUZHA, JAN. 30. The Leader of the Opposition, V.S. Achuthanandan, has said that the State Government should refrain from abetting the interests of resort owners and business groups in the tourism sector.

He was inaugurating an agitation organised today by the CPI(M) Alappuzha district committee against the shifting of Alappuzha Boat Jetty from its present site to the east of Alappuzha KSRTC bus terminal.

Mr. Achuthanandan said there were instances when the Oommen Chandy Government acted against the wishes of the local residents so as to help rich business groups.

Land encroachment

The Government failed to take action against those who encroached 4 km of the road at Kovalam that was being used by the fisherfolk and coir workers, said Mr. Achuthanandan.

He said the move to shift the Alappuzha boat jetty was also aimed at helping the owners of resorts and house boats.

He said that he went to Kovalam to look into the matter and found that a few rich people were behaving as if they were a law unto themselves. The local people living in the area said that they were not being allowed to use the road which they had been using earlier, Mr. Achuthanandan said.

Back the agitation

He added that he was backing the agitation of the residents of Kovalam since their cause was genuine.

Mr. Achuthanandan asked the Government to clarify what it would do with the vacant land of the Alappuzha Boat Jetty after it was shifted to the new premises. He alleged that resort owners and house boat operators were eying the land.

According to Mr. Achuthanandan, the shifting of the boat jetty to a new site would create difficulties to the residents of Kuttanad. He said the CPI(M) would not allow the Government to shift the boat jetty to the new location.

Commenting on the ban on Kerala Government lottery, Mr. Achuthanandan said the action of the Government proved that Mr. Chandy had not learned anything from the defeat of the United Democratic Front in the last Lok Sabha election.

The CPI(M) Alappuzha district committee member, C.K. Sadasivan, presided over the programme.

The CPI(M) district secretary, G. Sudhakaran, welcomed the gathering. Earlier, Mr. Achuthanandan visited the residence of Sasikumar, lottery agent, who allegedly committed suicide recently at Karumady.

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`Government backing resort owners'

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