One week ago, Justice Siri Jagan, Honourable Justice
of Kerala High- Court, reportedly asked the State govt to urgently consider
regulating paddy land conversion in the State and in this connection, he made a
sarcastic comment “if the situation is not controlled even God cannot save
God's Own Country,” while commenting upon the piling up of land conversion
cases. Close on the heels the Honourable Justice’s sarcastic comment, here
comes ‘Emerging Kerala 2012’ with much pomp and pageantry in Cochin which was
inaugurated by Prime Minister Dr.ManMohan Singh today. Industrialists and
businessmen from 52 countries are active participants in the three day long
jamboree. Besides foreign diplomats from these 52 countries are also taking part
in the much publicized event.
GIM (Global Investor Meet) - 2003 under the
initiative of the then UDF government which too was begun with much fanfare is
still imprinted in each Keralite’s mind. In that meeting too thousands of foreign
industrialists, business entrepreneurs besides industrialists and businessmen
of India were present and a number of proposals were submitted by the
former which later turned out to be a big failure as expected. Only one or two
projects came into existence and the rest remained on paper only.
Now that United Democratic Front Government of Chief
Minister Oommen Chandy and his colleague and Industries Minister
P.K.Kunhalikutty ‘with an intense desire to build-up a shining Kerala’ after
much discussions and deliberations have come out with a new initiative which
has been christened ‘Emerging Kerala 2012’. On going through the 222 proposals,
the Opposition LDF (Left Democratic Front) decided to boycott the meeting
accusing the govt with nurturing a motive of encouraging real-estate business
under the pretext of putting Kerala on the industrial map as an
investor-friendly State. Besides the Opposition front, the environmental
activists of Kerala who have founded Kerala Paristhithi Aikya Vedi too have
expressed their reservations about the initiative and they have come out into
the open against a number of projects as they are of the strong view that the
govt initiative is likely to affect the social and environmental atmosphere in
Kerala.
The environmentalists’ responses which are reported
in newspapers in detail, citizens who go through the formers responses will be
compelled to rethink about the viability of a number of proposed projects. One
would find that there is substance in their expressing reservations as also
objections.
The proposed Kochi-Palghat Investment and
Manufacturing Zone, for example, is in need of 5200 hectares of land, 90
percent of which are paddy fields on both sides of the National Highway. In
addition to it 4000 hectares of land are required to start Petroleum products,
chemicals and Petro-Chemicals almost, a major part of which are wastelands and
paddy fields.
Similarly to establish an Electronic Hub at Aamballur,
forty hectares of land are needed.
Furthermore, in Wagamon in Idukki district, an area
blessed with natural beauty, a golf club is about to be begin.
Another place is Nelliampathy in Palghat district, a
lush green area where a forest lodge and Ayurveda centre – are included in the
list of projects.
Environmentalists point out a fact that for the
construction of Cheemeni Hydro-electric
Project, the area required for completing the project is not even specified.
According to the environmentalists like
Prof.B.Sugathakumari, poet, social activist, environmentalist, Prof M.K.Prasad,
an eminent environmentalist, Dr.R V G Menon, scientist and environmentalist,
almost 5.66 lakh hectares of paddy fields have already been estimated to have
lost in the name of developing industries, business centres and construction of
flats since 1975.
Justice Siri Jagan while making comments about the
large-scale leveling of paddy-fields reportedly pointed out, Kerala which is
blessed with natural beauty, abundant resources and lush greenery has to
transport vegetables on a large-scale from TamilNadu and Karnataka, our
neighbours both of them compared to Kerala are not that much blessed with
natural beauty and resources. If these two States can grow paddy and vegetables
on a large-scale and can transport vegetables to Kerala after fulfilling their
daily needs, why can’t a blessed State like Kerala grow paddy, vegetables and
flowers – the latter too are vanishing from the sights of Keralites?
The honourbale Justice’s observations and comments
are pertinent, to put it mildly.
If the trend goes on like this we are likely to lose
our remaining paddy-fields, waste lands and other resources. Now that with
‘Emerging Kerala 2012’ going on in Kochi in full steam and if all the projects
mentioned are about to be implemented by foreign and Indian investors, the
already plundered Kerala is likely to be converted into a concrete jungle. With
the implementation of Emerging Kerala 2012 – in case the projects are about to
come to fruition, govt’s reported claims of no loss of lands are false and
misleading. Environmentalists’ demands to govt to initiate positive actions in
development of non-conventional energy, preservation of paddy-fields and waste
lands and protection of water resources are the need of the hour.
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