PATHANAMTHITTA: The All India Youth Federation (AIYF) district committee here has resolved to oppose opening of a divisional office by the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) in Pathanamthitta in connection with the proposal to lay 400 kv extra high-tension lines from Koodamulam in Tamil Nadu.

In a statement issued here on Sunday, AIYF district president, Manoj Charalel and secretary, A.M. Aji alleged that the proposed route would lead to displacement of hundreds of families in the district. They said that the PGCIL would not be permitted to go ahead with its existing route map.

The AIYF leaders called for a redraft of the existing route map by deviating it from the populated areas.

The PGCIL has completed survey and demarcation of the route which is aimed at bringing power from Koodamkulam Atomic Power Plant by laying 400 kv lines from Thirunelveli to Thrissur in the first phase and from there to Kozhikode in the second phase.

The 400 kv lines will pass through grama panchayats of Malayalappuzha, Mylapra, Ranni, Kottanad, Pramadom, Kalanjoor and Konni in Pathanamthitta district.

The people in these places have strongly opposed the move and have formed action groups to intensify their agitation.

The AIYF leaders allege that the proposed PGCIL scheme, if implemented as such, would require evacuation of not less than 5000 families in the district, besides felling of thousands of rubber trees and destruction of cash crops in a vast extent of land.

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