Thiruvananthapuram: A Kerala minister on Friday
alleged that there was a conspiracy behind the move to deny
clearance to proposed Athirappally hydel project in Thrissur
district after Union Environment Ministry sought fresh
explanation from the State Electricity board (KSEB) on the
area`s biodiversity.
In a statement here, Electricity Minister A K Balan said
he had sent letters to UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh, seeking their intervention on the
issue.
Balan alleged that Union Environment Minister Jairam
Ramesh had been making unilateral statements that his ministry
had decided not to clear the project.
"The Expert Appraisal Committee`s letter to KSEB saying
more studies should be conducted on the biodiversity of the
region itself shows that no final decision has been taken by
the Ministry on the issue," Balan said.
Even before the Expert Committee`s decision, the Union
Minister had instructed the Ministry to cancel the earlier
clearance given to the project during the previous UPA rule,
citing reports of NGOs and Environmental fora, he said.
Jairam Ramesh had said he also took into account views of
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Kerala and Chairman of
the State Biodiversity Board, who were against the project,
before announcing his decision not to clear it.
However, Balan said the state was proceeding on the
matter with the concurrence of the Forest department. The
views of Biodiversity Board Chairman were not that of the
government. The central Tropical Botanic Garden and Research
Centre and other agencies had made intensive studies on the
matter and given favourable reports, he said.
Balan, in his statement, urged all sections including the
Opposition to fight against the "conspiracy" to deny the
project to the state.
PTI
