RailEnquiry

Expressing serious doubts over ‘Emerging Kerala’, CPM central committee member and former Finance Minister Thomas Isaac said that many  ministers in the Cabinet are still in the dark about the projects included in the summit.  He demanded the rescheduling of the date of ‘Emerging Kerala’ summit so that the projects could be shortlisted after consultations with  the concerned. Addressing a press meet at the press club here on Thursday,Isaac accused the Government of hiring consulting agents for the preparation of projects for ‘Emerging Kerala’.   The consultants, who hardly know the needs and sentiments of the people, have prepared the projects purely based on business interests, he said.    He termed the Chief Minister’s declaration that controversial projects, including those affecting environment, would be excluded from the list as an acceptance of the mistake.  The UDF Government would have held discussions with the Opposition parties before the announcement of the ‘Emerging Kerala’ projects, he said.Many of the projects in the list were either abandoned by the LDF Government or posing serious environment hazards. The high-speed railway corridor project prepared by the LDF Government was located close to the existing railway line. However, the UDF Government’s railway corridor project plan passes through densely populated areas, Thomas Isaac said.  ENS