By IANS
Thiruvananthapuram : Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan Wednesday said it was pointless for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to insist on the land in Ponmudi bought from a businessman for its space institute.
“It is pointless to insist on that land alone because the government has already announced that we will give them 200 acres of land free to build the proposed space institute,” Achuthanandan told reporters after the weekly cabinet meeting.
On Tuesday, the Kerala government had termed as invalid the controversial land deal between businessman Savy Mano Mathew and ISRO.
In an affidavit filed before the Kerala High Court, the state government said: “When the agreement was signed between Mathew and ISRO, it was forest land and he had no right to sell that land.”
The forest department filed the affidavit after two separate cases were registered, questioning the fraudulent deal.
Controversy has been raging ever since ISRO purchased the 82 acres of land at the Ponmudi hills, 70 km from here, from the high profile businessman.
The opposition has been alleging that this land was sold in connivance with state Forest Minister Binoy Viswom and has been demanding his resignation and a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe.
Last week, opposition leader Oommen Chandy had said that ISRO should not insist on the land in Ponmudi hills for setting up its institute.