Amid mounting protest against the SilverLine project, a resolution has been passed against the government’s move to go ahead with the project in the Communist Party of India (Marxist) held Uduma grama panchayat.
In the 21-member panchayat, the CPI(M) has 10 seats, the United Democratic Front nine, and the Bharatiya Janata Party two.
The resolution against the SilverLine project moved by the UDF was passed with the support of the BJP. The resolution was introduced by Harris Ankhakalari of the Indian Union Muslim League. Congress member Chandran backed the resolution.
The resolution states that the semi-high-speed rail project, which runs through seven wards of Uduma panchayat, is not a suitable project for Kerala. It says about 100 families will be threatened with eviction.
At the same time, panchayat president P. Lakshmi said the UDF resolution passed with the support of the BJP was an anti-development move. Only after social impact assessment, the environmental issues arising by the project would be studied. Acquisition of land was a normal procedure in case of development projects.
Meanwhile, the panchayat UDF committee congratulated the UDF members who passed the resolution. The leaders said it was the first time that a resolution had been passed in the CPI(M)-ruled panchayat governing council against the government
