Don't shift Coast Guard Academy, Pinarayi writes to PM

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has shot off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi against the move to shift the proposed Coast Guard Academy in Kannur district to Mangaluru in Karnataka.

The Centre should drop such an "unjustified move"  that  is against Kerala's interests, Vijayan said in a letter to Modi.

The state government has  already transferred 164 acres of land for the academy, besides spending about Rs 65.56 crore for providing infrastructure facilities, he said.

Pointing out that the area  of Irinive in Kannur district was a rich storehouse of mangrove cultivation, the Union environment and forest ministry had declined permission for construction activities.

The chief minister said that about  50 acres of land, where there  is no mangrove cultivation, is available for constructing the academy.

In  such circumstances, the prime minister should send a special team from the ministry to visit the area and take the necessary steps to give clearance for the project, he said.