Kerala: A technical committee of the
Centre would visit Munnar within two weeks to study the damage
caused to the environment in the hill station due to
encroachment by real estate groups, Union Minister for
Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh said Friday.
The Centre would intervene in the issue after the
committee submits its report, Ramesh told reporters.
"If it was found that the provisions in the 1980 Forest
Conservation Act had been violated, stringent action would be
taken against those responsible, whether it be politicians or
real estate groups," the minister said.
On the Centre rejecting the proposal for a hydel project
at Athirappally in Thrissur district, he said the Kerala State
Bio-diversity Board had in its report to the Centre listed the
project`s adverse impact on environment.
"The district panchayat had also submitted a memorandum
to the Centre asking it not to give sanction to the project,
besides various environmental groups," he said.
Dismissing state Power Minister A K Balan`s charge that
there was a "conspiracy" behind the Centre`s decision not to
clear the project, Ramesh said there was no question of
showing neglect towards the state. Projects of other states
including neighbouring Karnataka had been denied clearance
citing environmental reasons.
Ramesh said like Athirappally, the project proposed at
Silent Valley was also given clearance first. The decision was
reversed when studies found that it would cause serious harm
to the environment.
Ramesh said the Centre had sanctioned the maximum number
of projects to Kerala and said any kind of conspiracy theory
was unwarranted.
Asked about the moratorium on Bt Brinjal, he said
elaborate study was required before introduction of a
genetically modified food crop in the country.
"It was the first time the country was considering such a
proposal and a genetically engineered food crop could not be
introduced without adequate caution," he said.
In case of Bt cotton, there have been reports of success
and failure which would be evaluated, he added.
PTI
