Land deals in Kerala legal: ISRO

Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 9 (UNI) The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which had entered into a land deal with an estate owner for setting up the Indian Institute of Space Technology (IIST) at Ponmudi in this district, today submitted that there were no irregularities in the deals and the transaction was legal.

In its reply to the notice served on them by the State Government on the transaction, ISRO said the Union Law Ministry was consulted before the deal and no irregularities were found, Thiruvananthapuram Divisional Forest Officer Patrick Gomez told UNI.

Besides, the Kerala Government had not raised any objection when ISRO had intimated it about the land deal, the space organisation said in its reply to the Thiruvananthapuram DFO.

It said no illegal activities had been committed as said in the notice served on them. They have also asked the Government to withdraw the notice.

The Kerala Forest Department yesterday issued notice to ISRO and the Merchiston estate owner, who sold a portion of his land to the organisation to set up the Institute, to vacate from the place, which was an Ecologically Fragile Land (EFL). The Forest Conservator had served the notice to the estate owner to hand over the property to the Government within 30 days. The same copy was given to ISRO, which purchased 82 acres, forming part of the 707.23-acre estate.

It was alleged that estate owner Xavi Mano Mathew had no right to sell the land as it had been notified as EFL. The work on a helipad at the Ponmudi hills in anticipation of the Prime Minister's visit to lay the foundation stone for the IIST had also been stopped following the intervention of the Forest Department. It was alleged that the officials had sanctioned Rs one crore for the construction of the helipad without the knowledge of the Forest Department.

ISRO had entered into a deal early this year with Mr Mathew for the transfer of about 120 acres of land. In the first phase, 82 acres of land was given. Mr Mathew had purchased the estate from the Birla Group in 2005 at a throwaway price.

UNI