The Communist Party of India district unit here has expressed deep concern over the reported reference of the Kerala High Court directing the Government to consider permitting conversion of paddy fields not suitable for cultivation.
In a statement issued here on Thursday, Mr P. Prasad, convener of the State Environment Sub-committee of Communist Party of India, has alleged that the Court direction would only weaken the Kerala Wetland and Paddyfield Protection Act, besides leading to large scale illegal conversion of wetlands and paddy fields.
Mr Prasad, who is also the CPI district secretary and a close associate of social activist Medha Patkar, said the Court’s good intention while issuing such an order might not be reflected at its implementation at the Government and bureaucratic levels.
The CPI leader alleged that the State Cabinet has already decided to act on the Court order and to permit conversion of fallow lands in different parts of the State on the eve of the World Wetlands Day itself.
The so-called ‘land mafia’ and real estate ‘lobby’ would be the main beneficiaries of the recent development, he alleged.
Wetlands and the water-rich paddy fields are major water reservoirs and destruction of these unique eco- systems would threaten the water security and food security of the State, besides permanently destroying the bio-diversity, he said.
Mr Prasad said it was unfortunate that the Court direction might lead to wanton destruction of paddy fields, hills and wetlands in different parts of the State.
Fallow land cultivation
Mr Prasad said the previous Left Democratic Front Government had launched cultivation in as much as 30,000 acres of paddy land that has been lying fallow for the past several years. And now, the United Democratic Front Government has sabotaged the popular fallow land cultivation project, he alleged.
Attending the Kerala Science Congress at Kottayam recently, many experts have stressed the grave need to address the issues concerning the State’s food security and water security. Records available with the State Planning Board show that Kerala has lost over 5,00,000 hectares of paddy fields between 1980 and 2007, the CPI leader said.
Mr Prasad said it was high time the Government, Judiciary, Political parties, law enforcing agencies and the society as a whole take collective efforts to protect, atleast, the remaining wetlands and paddy fields.
