Kerala - Kollam   

Ecological perils of encroachments

Staff Reporter

‘District administration callous’

KOLLAM: Environmental activists in the district have alleged that the district administration was ignoring encroachments that pose a threat to the environment. In a statement they pointed out several environmentally sensitive locations infested with encroachments.

In order to spread awareness on the need to clear these encroachments, a meeting is being organised at the Red Cross Society Hall here on July 12 under the banner of the Paristhithi Samrakshana Ekopana Samithy.

The general convener of the Samithy, Odanavattom Vijayaprakash, said that more than 100 acres on the banks of the Sasthamcotta fresh water lake have been encroached. The Ashtamudi Lake has become the victim of one of the biggest encroachments in the district.

Already 1963 encroachments on this lake have been identified. Twelve acres of the Vattakayal have also been encroached.

At the Maruthi hillock which has now come under the management of Grama Haritha Samithi of the Forest Department, more than 50 acres have been taken over. At Velichikala, a private clay company has encroached upon two streams running through the area.

Wanton clay mining has resulted in a good portion of these streams vanishing. 40 acres in the vicinity of the Jadayupaara, a tourist attraction at Chadayamangalam, has been encroached upon.

Mr. Vijayaprakash said that the meeting will be addressed by environmental activist C.R. Neelakandan; poet Kureepuzha Sreekumar; general secretary of the Yuvakala Sahithi, Vallikavu Mohandas; and the district secretary of the Purogamana Kala Sahithya Sangam, P.K. Gopan among others.

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