National, International lobby behind scuttling Vizhinjam: Minister

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 11 (UNI) Stating that the Centre's communique on the reasons for denying security clearance to Vizhinjam Deep Sea Transshipment Terminal lacked clarity, Kerala Port Minister M Vijayakumar today accused national and international lobbies of trying to scuttle the project.

''Once Vizhinjam comes up, the major container trade would be concentrated in this region and the people behind the lobbying are aware of this,'' he told newspersons here and produced the communique sent by the Centre denying the security clearance.

The Centre had not specified the reasons for denying the security clearance, he said and read out the Centre's one-line communique which said ''it has been decided not to give security clearance to the consortium of companies...to the Vizhinjam Project.'' When asked, if the clearance was denied due to the presence of the Chinese companies, he said when one read between the lines of the Centre's letter, it should be thought like that.

The global tender for developing the terminal was won by a consortium of two Chinese companies -- Kaidi Electric Power Company and China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) -- and an Indian company, Zoom Developers.

Stressing that the Union Shipping Minister T R Baalu should take the initiative for developing Vizhinjam, he also raised certain doubts about the Union Minister's recent statements which were not in the interest of the coming up of the terminal.

''Mr Baalu's recent statements on Vizhinjam only raises doubts.

During his visits to the state on several occasions, he had stressed on the development of other sectors like Highways that come under the Surface Ministry, which also he handles, and he seemed to be not interested in Vizhinjam. He was also reluctant to give a clear answer on the questions raised by the media on the issue,'' Mr Vijayakumar said and added that all these only raised doubts.

He also said that an all party meeting had been convened on August 16 to discuss the future steps to be taken for the proposed Vizhinjam Port.

Making it clear that the Government was not going to shelve the project, he said that the State would fight for realising the dream at any cost. ''No one can deny the development of Vizhinjam Port, which is going to change the lifeline of the state,'' he added.

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