The proposal for an All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Kinalur in Kozhikode district is now hit by a double whammy.
While the Union government is dragging its feet on the proposal, a reported staff shortage is delaying the ongoing land acquisition from local people as well.
Sources told The Hindu on Monday that the office of the land acquisition tahsildar in charge of it had been overburdened with a large number of projects in the past few months. Because of this, enough staff could not be deployed for land acquisition for the AIIMS. “Only recently, two surveyors were appointed for the purpose. The process is on, but it is going at a slow pace,” said an official on condition of anonymity.
The gazette notification for land acquisition was issued by the State government on June 19, 2023. An extent of 40.6 hectares (around 100 acres) are being acquired in Kinalur and Kanthalad villages from local residents. The government has already handed over around 150 acres at Kinalur, which was under the custody of the Industries department, to the Health department separately. Apart from seeking a fair compensation and highlighting their loss of livelihood, local residents have not expressed any opposition to the project so far.
Meanwhile, the Centre is yet to make its stand clear on the project even as there have been reports of differences of opinion within the BJP leadership on the location of the project. The Kozhikode, Kasaragod and Palakkad district committees are reportedly jostling with one another to get it approved at a place of their choice.
Replying to questions by M.K. Raghavan, Kozhikode MP, and M.P. Abdussamad Samadani, Malappuram MP, Union Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said in the Lok Sabha last month that Kozhikode did not figure on the list of AIIMS approved by the Centre recently. The Left Democratic Front and the CPI(M) are portraying this dilly-dallying as another example of the Centre’s neglect towards Kerala.
