The seminar on ‘River Pampa and environment conservation’, organised by the Mar Thoma Evangelistic Association, missionary wing of Mar Thoma Church, at the Retreat Centre situated on the river banks at Maramon has stressed the importance of river protection and nature conservation for the very existence of the world and humanity itself.
Presiding over the inaugural function, Dr Philipose Mar Chrysostum, senior Metropolitan of Mar Thoma Church, has called upon the MTEA that organiaes the century-old annual Maramon Convention on the riverbed of Pampa, to practice `green theology’ in letter and spirit with a view to save Pampa from its ongoing environmental crisis.
Mar Chrysostum said the organizers of the convention should also see to it that there was no ill effect to the river system due to the annual congregation.
Pampa is the lifeline of Central Kerala and the society at large should take river and nature conservation their prime responsibility, he said.
Inaugurating the seminar, Mr V.M. Sudheeran, Congress(I) leader said river Pampa was a symbol of communal harmony.
According to Mr Sudheeran, like Pampa, almost all rivers in the State have been facing a slow death owing to man’s scant disregard to environment and river conservation.
The riverbeds have been lowered drastically due to unscrupulous sand mining, he said.
Prof P.J. Kurien, Congress(I) chief whip in Rajya Sabha, said over-exploitation of natural resources and man’s mad rush after lexury, coupled with the indiscriminate construction activity have led to degradation of the river system and environment to an alarming state.
Environment-friendly lifestyle
According to Prof Kurien, people should adopt an environment-friendly lifestyle in order to protect nature and conserve environment. He further called upon the people to stop over-exploitation of nature to satisfy their false prestige.
“Let us live the environment’’ should be our slogan to protect the river systems and environment,’’ he added.
Bar licensing policy
Prof Kurien has said he has a strong reservation against the Government decision to give back the power to issue bar licence to local self government institutions as it would do more harm than good.
Aranmula Airport
Prof Kurien said he was for the proposed private airport project at Aranmula as it would be of great help to the large number of people from Central Travancore working in different parts of the world.
He said the airport project should be constructed with causing any harm to the environment and ecology.
Mr Anto Antony, MP and Mr K. Sivadasan Nair, MLA, also expressed concern over the degradation of river Pampa.
Both the MP and MLA were of the opinion that the airport project should be implemented with out causing any harm to the environment and with out evicting any family in Aranmula.
They said the notification issued by the Industries department during the previous LDF Government should be withdrawn in toto.
C.R. Neelakantan, social activist, delivered the keynote address. Mr Neelakantan strongly opposed the propsed private airport project, saying that it would bring about an environmental catastrophe in the region. Fr Abraham P. Oommen, MTEA secretary, welcomed the gathering.
