The Legislative Committee on Environment would submit its report to the State Assembly, detailing the environmental issues raised by the local population in connection with the proposed private international airport project at Aranmula, during the session that begins on Thursday, said the panel chairman, C.P. Mohammed.
Mr Mohammed, accompanied by the panel members, Mullakkara Ratnakaran, T.A. Ahamed Kabeer, P.C. Vishnunath, and A.M. Arif, was talking to reporters during a visit to Aranmula after holding a sitting at the Collectorate conference hall here on Thursday.
Mr Mohmmed Ahamed said the one-month old committee has taken up the Aranmula airport issue as the first case and had decided to hold a sitting on the same on a war-footing basis, giving due respect to the growing public concern and agitation against the project.
He said the committee would appraise the Legislature on the concern of the people over the destruction of ground water sources, paddy fields, wetlands, drying up of wells, etc, in the event of conversion of low-lying lands as part of the proposed airport project.
Appearing before the committee, Dr V.S. Vijayan, former Kerala State Biodiversity Board chairman, said he has conducted an environment impact assessment in the Aranmula puncha and wetlands and found it rich in bio-diversity. According to him the wetlands houses 212 plant unique plant species and not to speak of its abundant water storage and water carrying capacity which could adequately ensure the ground water replenishment in the surrounding villages.
Dr Vijayan said it require not less 93 lakh tonne of earth to convert the wetland and paddy field for setting up the airport. The conversion of wetlands and paddy fields at Aranmula would lead to denial of paddy crop worth Rs 373 crore from an extent of 1417 ha on a yearly basis, he added.
Mr P. Prasad, CPI district secretary, alleged that as many as 90 acres of paddy fields, Government land and portion of a natural stream have been illegally converted at Aranmula in the name of the airport project. The people have got every right to know who had given the permission for this illegal activity and what action the authorities have taken against it, he said.
Mr Prasad and Dr Vijayan alleged that the Environment Impact Assessment submitted by the private company before the Union Government was a “fraudulent’’ one.
Prof M.V.S. Namboodiri, Pampa Parirakshana Samiti vice-president, alleged that the proposed airport project was a reflection of the narrow-minded mentality of minority affluent sections of the society, totally disregarding its disastrous impacts on the environment, ecology and the plight of the common people.
Ms Malethu Saraladevi, former MLA; K.K. Royson, KPCC(I) member and former District Panchayat president; R. Ajayakumar, M.G.Kannan, both District Panchayat members; K.P. Sreeranganathan, Darshana Cultural Society; Appukkuttan Nair, Kerala JAnapakshom State vice-president; V.N. Unni, BJP district president; Induchoodan, Suresh, action council leaders, were among those who have submitted memorandum to the committee.
District Collector, P. Venugopal and ADM, H. Salimraj, also attended the meeting.
As many as 100 villagers, including women, assembled at the illegally converted Aranmula puncha and at the Pallimukkathu Tempkle grounds to air their grievances before the committee that had visited these places, later, in the afternoon.
