Runaway River On Kochi's Flight Path

UN award fails to hide airports shaky foundations.

- Minu Ittyipe in Kochi

EVEN as the Cochin Internatio­nal Airport Ltd (CIAL) picked up the United Nations Champi­ons of the Earth award in the ‘entrepreneurial vision’ category, for being the world’s first fully solar­ powered airport, back home in Kochi, Kerala, people have been pro­ testing the diversion of the Chengal creek to build the airport, which res­ulted in large­scale destruction of houses and crops during the recent floods. At CIAL’s 24th annual general body meeting, many shareholders stood in queue to lambast the board of directors for not having a solution in place to prevent flooding of the air­ port and its surrounding areas when the river Periyar overflows. As the state government holds 32 per cent of the shares, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vij­ayan was also present as chairman of the board and took much flak.