Corporation to acquire land for expo ground

Kozhikode: A meeting of the Corporation Council, on Friday, decided to acquire 6.12 acres at Puthiyangadi village on Beach Road for setting up a permanent exhibition ground.

The agenda was passed through voting after the Opposition (UDF) went up against it. While 34 councillors of the LDF voted for the proposal, 10 UDF members voted against and four, including an NCP member, abstained from voting.

The council had set in motion a proposal to acquire land for establishing a permanent exhibition ground at Puthiyangadi on February 23. But the councillors belonging to the Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) objected to the proposal saying that the area was near the Varakkal temple and would lead to the displacement of 40 families.

The agenda on Friday was brought for the consideration of the council with an amendment reducing the land area to 6.12 acres and sparing the 40 families there from displacement. The councillors belonging to the Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) objected to the proposal.

Congress councillor P.K. Mamukoya asked the Mayor to verify if the proposed area was adequate and appropriate for the purpose.

Janata Dal (S) councillor P. Kishanchand, who opposed the agenda, said there was �clear mystery in bringing down the area from 10 acres to 6.12 acres. NCP councillor K. Mammed Koya and Muslim League councillor A.T. Moideen Koya, among others, spoke against the proposal. Mayor M. Bhaskaran said the Kerala Urban and Rural Development Finance Corporation was willing to allot fund for acquiring the land.