By IANS
Thiruvananthapuram : Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan Sunday visited the piece of land whose purchase by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has created a raging political controversy in the state. Top government and ISRO officials accompanied him.
“I came to see because when a decision is made, I will have to be seized of the issue and just cannot take decisions based on media reports. The visit also means that a decision will be taken soon,” said Achuthanandan.
He also visited the land where construction of a helipad was started but later stopped after it was learnt that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had no plans to arrive to lay the foundation stone of the proposed space institute of the ISRO.
ISRO purchased 82 acres of forestland in Ponmudi, 75 km from here, from high profile businessman Savy Mano Mathew in March. The opposition alleges that the land belongs to the state forest department and was sold to Mathew in connivance with Forest Minister Binoy Viswom who belongs to the Communist Party of India (CPI).
The Congress and the entire opposition have been demanding a CBI probe into the matter. The high court has also asked the government to state its position on the issue on Monday.