AIIMS to come up in Kozhikode

The Revenue department is expected to issue a notification in May first week to acquire around 100 acres of private land in Kinalur and Kanthalad villages of Kozhikode district to set up an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

The State government is planning to acquire around 250 acres for the project. The remaining 150 acres, which was under the Industries department, have already been handed over to the Health department.

A senior official told The Hindu on Monday that the notification would be under provisions of the Section 11(1) of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. This follows a social impact assessment study held in the area last year. The official said objections and complaints related to the land acquisition could be submitted within 60 days of the notification. Simultaneously, efforts are also on to complete land valuation.

Demolition prospects
The social impact study had pointed out that 94 houses, 10 commercial/livelihood structures, one temple land, one madrasa hall belonging to a mosque, two ‘gulikan thara’ belonging to two households, one family health centre, and one ration shop would have to be demolished. A total of 114 drinking water sources, two streams, and the Kattadi river too would be affected. As many as 933 people from 193 families would be impacted by land acquisition. Twenty-eight families would directly or indirectly lose their livelihood, the study said.

Meanwhile, those close to the Left Democratic Front are questioning the delay in the final approval for the project in the wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ongoing visit to the State. They point out that though an announcement was expected in this year’s Union Budget, none was forthcoming. The Hindu