Set to play arbiter on the Navi Mumbai airport project, Congress president Sonia Gandhi is likely to call environment minister Jairam Ramesh for an explanation on the issue. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was said to be in favour of a ?practical view? on the project as it concerned development.
The Navi Mumbai airport issue was brought to Sonia Gandhi by Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan on the eve of the commencement of her fourth term as party chief. ?She has promised to look into the issue and expedite it,? said Chavan who on Friday led a delegation of senior state Congress leaders to the Prime Minister.
?The PM said I will personally look into the matter. Mumbai?s development is of paramount importance to the country. He said I assure you that nothing will come in the way of Mumbai?s development, that I will call the ministers concerned to resolve the issue,? said Chavan.
He said Sonia Gandhi too was concerned about this issue. ?She said she understands our views and concerns. She will call the people concerned to discuss the issue. She said she will try to expedite the matter,? said Chavan.
He ruled out the possibility of shifting the proposed airport to Kalyan because the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre was developing a laboratory in the area. ?Other site is not possible. There is no substitute to this,? he said.
The state party delegation that met the PM included revenue minister Narayan Rane, state Congress chief Manikrao Thakre, Mumbai Congress chief Kripashankar Singh, state Congress spokesman Kanhaialal Gidwani, and several present and former MLAs, MLCs and MPs.
Gidwani said the delegation also submitted a PCC memorandum stating that the present site of the proposed airport poses minimum problem and there was no other site in Mumbai. ?The PM said a practical view has to be taken because it is a development issue,? he said.
Chavan and Rane denied Shiv Sena allegations that some influential Congress leaders had bought land near the proposed airport site. ?Ek taraf khaadi (depression) hai, doosri taraf SEZ. There is no private land available in the immediate vicinity,? said Chavan.
He said the state government was ready to address all environmental issues ?but this work should be seen with a positive angle?. As for the flow of river, he said there were remedies for it. ?We are also ready to leave out some areas that are earmarked for commercial utilisation. We are also ready for mangroves,? he said.