Oomen Chandy’s favourites and relatives in Environmental Impact Assessment Authority – Kummanam

Pathanamthitta: Convenor of Aranmula Paithruka Grama Karma Samiti Kummanam Rajashekharan has sought annulment of a petition seeking reconstitution of the panel for Environmental Impact Assessment Study Authority and Special Committee of Experts , submitted by state government of Kerala. In a plea to the state Environment Minister, Kummanam Rajashekharan called for a team of experts to study the matter.

“Experts who have conducted an in-depth study into the matter and who are an authority on the subject must be inducted into the panel. But instead we find the Chief Minister’s favourites and relatives being refered to for various posts in the panel. The panel suggestion submitted before the Centre has KP Joy as Chairman of a 3 member committee and V Gopinathan as Chairman of 13 member expert panel. However, the Kerala government has, very craftily omitted those persons who have rendered a very committed and authoritative study in Kerala’s environmental scenario. In fact these people have proved their capability in the previous committee. It is quite evident that only those with vested interests have been inducted in. It definitly has to be investigated how those who have no practical knowledge on environmental matters or those who have been implicated in cases, for being responsible for environmental destruction found their names on the panel. Many of them are known to have openly supported those people who have either exploited nature or have supported those who have given priority to vested interests in widely debated and discussed matters of importance like Aranmula Airport case, Western Ghat Conservation issue etc. Those on environmental panels should be proficient enough to give their judgements on matters mentioned in the report related to mining and manufacture sector, issued by state government, related to environmental hazards. In the last 4 years, as many as 650 applications have been received by State Environmental impact Assessment Authorityfor various projects related to hazards in fields of construction, sand mining from rivers, quarrying. Kerala is a place where over 2400 authorized quarries function. This authority is very important for the future of Kerala, hence those panel experts should be chosen as per qualification.

Kummanam Rajashekharan also said that by making an attempt to breathe life into the airport project in Aranmula, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy is trying to cater to the whims of KGS Group.

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