Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan has said that efforts are being made by the authorities to sabotage environment laws in the name of development.
He said the recommendations of the T.S.R. Subramanian committee, which was intended to review environment protection laws, served the purpose of the corporates alone.
Mr. Achuthanandan was delivering the inaugural address at a people’s convention organised at the High Court Bar Council hall here in protest against the report.
“Development at the cost of biodiversity is not advisable. Authorities meant to protect environment laws are acceding to the demands of the corporates. If the committee recommendations are implemented, pollution control boards will become history and the Green Tribunal will be stripped of its powers while approvals will be dished out to projects solely based on the information furnished by corporates and industrialists,” Mr. Achuthanandan said. Even the proposed Aranmula airport would become a reality if the recommendations of the committee were enforced. Mr. Achuthanandan also warned of severe drought in the State if the proposal to link Pampa and Achankovil rivers with the Vaipar was taken forward.
Environmentalist M.K. Prasad, who is the chairman of the organising committee of the convention, presided. Former minister Binoy Viswam and general convener P.K. Venugopalan also spoke.
