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Achuthanandan promises to assess power project's environmental impact
By IANS,
Apr 21, 2007 - 4:34:06 PM
Palakkad -, April 21 - Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan Saturday assured that all environmental issues would be looked into before going ahead with a hydro-electric project that activists allege would harm a forest area.
The proposed 70MW Pathrakadavu hydroelectric project on the Kunthi river in the Silent Valley National Park region of the Western Ghats near Palakkad was given the nod by the state government at its last cabinet meeting held here Wednesday.
'The stand I took on issues of environment when I was the leader of opposition - is certainly there and there is no dilution. The proposed project is now being looked into by the environment ministry and all fears raised by the environmentalists would certainly be looked into once its report comes,' said Achuthanandan while speaking at a function here.
Environmentalists are up in arms because if this project is to go ahead, close to four acres of precious rain forests in the area with its rich biodiversity would disappear.
The forests that would be submerged form part of the habitat of the highly endangered lion-tailed macaque and Nilgiri Tahr.
The project was first prepared by the previous Congress government in 2003 but it put it on the back burner, knowing well that it could lead to a lot of problems.
Former Kerala minister and senior Congress legislator Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said even the Achuthanandan cabinet was divided on the project.
'While Achuthanandan's party - is keen to go ahead with the project, its ally the Communist Party of India - is not for this project,' said Radhakrishnan.
State Forest Minister and CPI leader Binoy Viswam said that the Silent Valley should not be destroyed in the name of development.
'We are committed to create a buffer zone for the Silent Valley. This is likely to come up in the next cabinet meeting. We aim to have a development plan with emphasis on environment,' said Viswam.
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