The Hindu, Nov 4 2016, Kerala: A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Tuesday dismissed a challenge against the decision of Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) to acquire land for its proposed life science park at Veiloor in Thiruvananthapuram.

The Bench comprising Chief Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice A.M. Shaffique upheld the decision, while dismissing a batch of appeals against a single judge’s verdict rejecting pleas of land owners against the notification of the KSIDC to acquire 250 acres of land for the park proposed to be set up in private-public mode.

As per the proposal, the park would house a cluster of industries in the fields of biotechnology/ nanotechnology, research institutions and science and technology academia.

The KSIDC proposed to set up a separate company to develop the project.

The petitioner alleged that no detailed project report of the park had been prepared by the KSIDC.

Besides, it had not obtained sanction from the government before issuing notification for acquiring land under the Land Acquisition Act.

In fact, the KSIDC had earlier decided to purchase land through negotiation.

They had alleged that the action of the KSIDC was illegal.

The Bench observed that the choice of the land acquisition mode was well within the discretion of the competent authorities who proposed the land for acquisition.

Web: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/high-court-nod-for-land-acquisition/article7840173.ece