Thiruvananthapuram: The Janapaksham campaign for the development of an international container transhipment terminal at Vizhinjam here has called on the State government to secure necessary clearance from the Union government for the project.

A meeting of Janapaksham volunteers here on Saturday highlighted the need to secure environmental and security clearance from the Centre at the earliest to avoid problems at a later stage. Hailing the selection of a consortium for the project, participants in the meeting urged Union Ministers from the State to use their influence to secure the mandatory clearances from the Centre. They feared that vested interests would try to torpedo the project.

Speakers stressed the need to get the Prime Minister to lay the foundations for the mother port before the next Parliament elections. They pointed out that construction work may be delayed by the transition of power at the Centre.

The meeting urged all political parties to sink their differences and join hands to get the project off the ground. It called on the State leadership of the United Democratic Front to exert pressure on the Union government for the project. The meeting complimented the Hyderabad-based Lanco consortium that won the bid for the project.

Janapaksham president Elias John presided over the function.

Source: The Hindu