The Left Democratic Front (LDF) has alleged that the United Democratic Front government is trying to impose the controversial private airport project on the hapless villagers of Aranmula by including it in the Emerging Kerala meet.
Addressing a press conference here on Friday, LDF Aranmula Assembly committee convener T.K.G. Nair and president A.K. Muraleedhara Kurup asked the government to abandon the project in the larger interests of the people for protecting the paddy fields, wetlands and the glory of the heritage village of Aranmula.
They said that a natural stream across the Aranmula puncha (paddy fields), besides a vast expanse of the paddy fields, had been illegally converted in the name of the airport project. The Legislative Committee on Environment had visited Aranmula in February following opposition to the project from the villagers and socio-environmental organisations.
The committee and several experts had reported that conversion of the paddy fields and wetlands would cause disastrous impacts on the environment and hence the project should be shelved, Prof. Nair said.
Responding to reporters’ queries regarding the in principle clearance given to the project by the LDF government, Prof. Nair said it was only a conditional clearance granted on the basis of a preliminary request submitted by the airport company through the then local MLA K.C. Rajagopalan.
However, he said, there was no question of the LDF permitting such an “anti-people and anti-nature” project which would deny the people drinking water and dwelling place.
‘Anti-people project’
He said the LDF was not in favour of the present style of temple-centric agitation launched by the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Sangh Parivar as the issue involved alarming environmental problems.
Prof. Nair said LDF convener VaikomViswan would inaugurate a march to the Aranmula puncha on Sunday demanding restoration of the natural stream that was converted in the name of the airport project.
The march would begin from Aranmula Iykara junction at 10.30 a.m.
K.P. Rajendran, former Revenue Minister; Mathew T. Thomas, former Transport Minister, and A.A. Aziz, Revolutionary Socialist Party State secretary, would address the march.
Mass movement
Mr. Muraleedhara Kurup said the LDF would counter the clearance given to the airport project by the Union Ministry of Environment legally, besides launching a mass movement against the project.
The Aranmula puncha is a massive water bank that rejuvenates the groundwater table of Aranmula and surrounding villages and its conversion means denial of drinking water to the people, he added.
via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/kerala/article3898221.ece
No comments:
Post a Comment