Hearing on Sabarimala airport to be held soon

The plans for establishing the Sabarimala Greenfield International Airport are progressing with authorities gearing up to conduct a public hearing on the draft Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report. The hearing will be organised by the Kottayam District Collector at Erumely soon.

At the hearing, the public can voice their environmental concerns related to the project, overseen by the State Pollution Control Board. The findings will be forwarded to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) for review.

In May 2023, the MoEF approved the project’s terms of reference, leading to the appointment of Louis Berger Consultancy Private Limited by the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) to conduct the EIA. Covering a 10km radius around the proposed site, the study assessed environmental impacts during both the construction and operation phases of the project.

The comprehensive assessment includes considerations of air and noise quality, water management, waste disposal, ecological, and socioeconomic factors. The report highlights that 346.57 hectares of land will be affected. It emphasises careful measures to minimise land clearing and enhance green cover.

Approximately 3,58,066 trees will be impacted by the airport project, including 3,34,090 rubber trees and 23,976 other species on the site, which will be cleared in phases with permission from relevant authorities.

Natural drainage

The airport facilities have been strategically planned to maintain natural drainage within and around the site. During the construction phase, 1,161 kilolitres of water per day will be required for construction purposes.

A budget of ₹1.3 crore is allocated for environmental monitoring during both construction and operation, with the total Environmental Management Plan (EMP) budget estimated at ₹6.32 crore.