The LDF government’s ‘U-turn’ on the Athirappilly project, at a time when the State is facing a severe environmental crisis, shows its anti-environmental stand, National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) has said.
The decision of the government to pursue with the project, even after it announced in the Assembly in 2018 that it would be dropped, was highly condemnable, the NAPM State committee said on Wednesday.
The NAPM alleged huge corruption behind the move, which, they said, would create huge socio-environmental and economic losses to the State. The Kerala State Electricity Board itself says that there is no power crisis in the State. As solar power can be produced more profitably, there is vested interest behind giving NOC for the project.
The project will destroy about 200 hectares of forest. The project in the Vazhachal forest area, which belongs to the tribal community according to the Forest Rights Act, is an attack on their rights and livelihood, the NAPM said, adding it would organise a strong protest if the government did not withdraw the NOC.
Youth Congress and Kerala Students Union activists took out a protest march to the KSEB office at Kannamkuzhy on Wednesday against the government decision. Youth Congress national coordinator Shone Pellissery inaugurated the march.
