Congress calls for CBI inquiry into ISRO land deal

Kochi, Sep 1 (UNI) Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President Ramesh Chennithala today called for a CBI inquiry into the deal by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to buy land near Ponmudi hill station for the proposed space institute.

Talking to reporters here, he said the central agency should investigate the circumstances under which the land notified under the Ecologically Fragile Lands Act, was denotified and sold to private parties.

Mr Chennithala said these private parties had sold the land to ISRO for setting up the proposed space institute at Ponmudi in Thiruvananthapuram district.

On the alleged involvement of state PWD Minister K U Kuruvilla in fraudulent land deals, he said criminal proceedings should be initiated against the minister and the excess land should be retrieved by the government under the Kerala Land Reforms Act.

The government's decision to order a judicial inquiry into the land deals was an ''eye-wash'' to protect the erring minister, he alleged.

Terming the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government led by V S Achuthanandan as a total failure, Mr Chennithala said the government had no time to solve the problems of the comman man.

Coming down heavily on the state liquor policy, he urged the government to redraft the policy to stem supply of illicit liquor.

He alleged that the nexus between the CPI(M) and the liquor mafia was strong and this was working against the state's interests.

Mr Chennithala also urged the police to bring to book the culprits behind the fire at the famed Thali Mahadeva Temple at Angadippuram, in which the main doors of the temple were damaged.

He said these anti-social elements were bent upon creating communal trouble in the society.

UNI