The Hindu : Kerala News : Pathrakkadavu project: angry scenes at hearing

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, May 22, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Pathrakkadavu project: angry scenes at hearing

By Our Staff Reporter

PALAKKAD, MAY 21. The public hearing on the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report of the Rs. 462 crore Pathrakkadavu hydel project across the Kunthi river, just 500 meters downstream of the world renowned Silent Valley National Park, turned out to be an one-sided affair with the supporters of the project not allowing even well-known environmentalist, Sugathakumari, to speak.

The public hearing was organised in a small hall of the Cherumkulam L.P. school near Mannarkkad this morning. The supporters of the project did not allow environmentalists to speak and attempts were made to manhandle anybody who spoke against the project.

There was chaos during the public hearing and when the chairman of the Public Hearing Committee and Kerala State Pollution Control Board, Paul Thachil, asked Induchudan, representative of the Kerala Shastra Sahitya Parishad to speak, the supporters of the project heckled him and snatched away his mike.

When Ms. Sugathakumari, was called to speak the supporters of the project raised slogans against her and did not allow her to speak. As she was leaving, the police had to make a cordon around her to save her from physical attack by some militant supporters of the project.

The supporters of the project also did not allow Indanur Gopi, Secretary, Bharathapuzha Protection Committee, Tony Thomas, Director, One Earth One Life, C.G. Madhusoodhanan, Chalakudy Puzha Samrakshana Samithi and others to speak.

The people's representatives of the Mannarkkad and Kumaramputhur panchayats, where the project is planned, spoke in support of the project. They said that it would bring the much-needed development to this remote forest area.

The Executive Engineer of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB), Chandramohan, said that the project would not create any environmental problem as only 22.16 hectares of forest would be lost.

The District Collector, Sanjeev Kaushik, who rushed to the meeting hall on hearing about the tense situation during the public hearing, told pressmen that it was unfortunate that a highly respected person like Sugathakumari was prevented from airing her views on the subject. The chairman of the committee, Mr. Thachil, said that though some people were prevented from giving their views during the public hearing, both views would be considered by the ten-member committee that was constituted to prepare the report. He said that 20 persons gave evidence and 30 organisations gave their views in writing during the public hearing.

Sugathakumari vows

to fight

Talking to mediapersons at Mannarkkad, Ms Sugathakumari, said that the Pathrakkadavu hydel project is the same Silent Valley hydel project in a new name. The project will destroy the Silent Valley, the unique flora and fauna of the Western Ghat, which was preserved as world heritage, she said.

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