The indefinite fast undertaken by activists of the Action Council for Environmental Protection, the organisation opposing polluting plywood units located in the Perumbavoor belt, has been called off.
Key decisions
Varghese Pulluvazhy, the chairman of the council, who had been on a ‘fast unto death’ agitation for the past 18 days, ended the stir on Saturday after a meeting convened by the District Collector on Friday night arrived at key decisions to sort out the issue. The council convenor C.K. Prasannan said it was decided at the meeting that plywood factories would not be allowed to function overnight in residential areas.
Units functioning without licenses will be closed down. Licensed units will have to strictly adhere to pollution control measures.
Permanent body
A committee headed by the District Medical Officer will look into health problems faced by the people in affected areas. A permanent body for monitoring environmental issues in the plywood belt will be established at the district-level and it will have representatives from the Council. Apart from the District Collector, District Medical Officer, representatives of Factories and Boilers, environmental activist S. Seetharaman, and Action Council representatives participated in the meeting, he said.
Mr. Varghese called off his fast in the presence of social activist M.K. Sanu at the General Hospital.
