The Kerala government would not clear projects without looking into the environmental aspects first and also at the same time, ensure no project is held up in the name of environment, State Industries Minister Mr. Elamaram Kareem said here on Monday.
Asked at a press meet here about Forest Minister, Mr. Binoy Vishwam writing to CPI General Secretary Mr. A B Bardhan, on the harm to the environment by destruction of mangroves near Kochi, if clearance was given to the Rs 5,000 crore Shobha Hi Tech city project, Mr. Kareem said, he had seen only media reports in this regard.
"No projects will be given clearance in a hurry. If there are environmental issues involved, all aspects would be looked into before giving sanction to the project," he said. He made it clear that no project would be held up in the name of environment.
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He alleged that the ASEAN agreement, inked by the UPA government, would badly affect the State, especially the agriculture, fishing and small-scale sectors. The move by the Centre to privatise PSUs would destroy public sector units, he added.