Greens set manifesto for parties

The Hindu, March 31, 2016
Thiruvananthapuram, 

The Kerala Paristhithi Aikyavedi, an umbrella organisation of environmental groups in the State, has released a green development agenda for political parties to incorporate into their manifesto for the forthcoming elections to the Assembly.

Releasing the document here on Wednesday, Aikyavedi leaders V.S. Vijayan, R. Sridhar and S. Usha said the green agenda was aimed at ensuring the sustainable development of the State.

Allegation

They alleged that the UDF government had abetted blatant violations of environmental laws, imperilling livelihoods, and affecting food security and water availability.

Proposing a white paper on the state of the environment within three months of the formation of a new government, the agenda calls for an environmental audit to expose the violation of environmental laws by local bodies and government departments.

The document calls for a firm political commitment on restoration of paddy fields and wetlands reclaimed after 2008.

It proposes an environment audit for the last 30 years in the Western Ghats, midlands, and coastal areas.

Declaration of paddy lands as paddy reserves that can never be converted for other purposes, a legislation for protection of hills in non-forest areas, eco-restoration of the catchments of hydro power and irrigation projects, phasing out the production and sale of chemical pesticides, preparation of a wetland register for each panchayat and strong action against CRZ violations are some of the major recommendations.

The agenda proposes a strong building code limiting the maximum size of a house and making constructions environment friendly.

The Aikyavedi urged the government to revisit the Gadgil and Kasturirangan committee reports and accept recommendations for ecological security.

Pointing out that Kerala cannot afford to have new hydel projects involving loss of forests, the manifesto recommends installation of solar power units in government offices, industrial units and commercial establishments within five years.

The Aikyavedi leaders said the green agenda would help Kerala become the first carbon neutral State in India and the first to adopt sustainable development practices.

They said all political parties in the State would be approached with the request to include the green agenda in their respective election manifesto.

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Gadgil report pro-people: expert

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM,  

The Hindu, June 2, 2014

V.S. Vijayan, Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP) member, said here on Sunday that it was the failure on the part of the government to clear the misconceptions among the people about the Madhav Gadgil Committee report that had resulted in hostility towards its recommendations.

Speaking at a seminar on the protection of the Western Ghats, organised by the Bharatheeya Vichara Kendram, Dr. Vijayan said one could only speculate about the reason why the government had failed to allay the fears of the people about the Gadgil Committee recommendations.

People, for instance, mistook ‘Ecologically Sensitive Areas’ mentioned in the report for ‘Ecologically Fragile Lands’, which had stricter rules regarding their preservation.

The Gadgil Committee report aimed at protecting the Western Ghats which benefited some 28 crore people living in six States.

In contrast, the Kasturirangan Committee report would benefit only miners and industrialists. Many of its action items were easy to evade because they were not restricted by time, acting merely as suggestions and not directives, he said.

Inaugurating the seminar, poet Sugathakumari said “it is sad that the Gadgil report could not be communicated to the people in time and it is even sadder that false information was conveyed causing huge loss to a fine action plan.”

Plea to KSBB

She hoped that the Kerala State Biodiversity Board (KSBB) would take a strong stand to safeguard the Kerala Conservation of Paddy and Wetlands Act, 2008.

Kasturirangan panel member and KSBB chairman Oommen V. Oommen said the Gadgil committee’s failure lay in not consulting government bodies or holding proper discussion with the people when formulating its recommendations.

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