Chief Minister V D Satheesan with K R Jayan, recipient of the P V Thampy Memorial Endowment Award, at the award ceremony in Kochi on Saturday
Kochi : Chief minister V D Satheesan has said no project which poses a threat to the environment would be allowed in the state, adding that it is the policy of his govt. No compromise will be there in the case of environment,” the CM said. Satheesan said that Keralam must be taken to a higher level of development while protecting its natural environment. “We must preserve Western Ghats and safeguard the state’s green landscapes,” the CM added. He said much of that natural richness in the forests has disappeared. We must recognise the consequences of these changes,” Satheesan said. Regarding Kochi, CM said the air quality in Kochi has become extremely poor. “Yesterday, Kochi recorded an air quality index of 188, whereas London recorded an index of two,” he said, adding the need to develop effective public transportation systems and introduce measures to control vehicular pollution. “I have decided to constitute an expert committee on Monday to study air pollution in Kochi and submit report at the earliest,” he said. Once these causes are properly understood and addressed, we can work towards improving Kochi’s air quality in a sustainable manner,“ the CM said. Human intervention in the habitats of wildlife is among the most important causes of human-animal conflict in the state, he said.
“No project, including the big ones, which pose threat to the environment, will be allowed to be implemented in the state. Keralam needs only those projects that pose no threat to the environment as per environmental impact assessment reports. Keralam cannot afford natural disasters. “Plantations have expanded, natural forests have been cleared, and the ecological balance has been disturbed. Ernakulam MLA T J Vinod had submitted a letter to the CM a week ago requesting to study about air pollution in the city. “There should be fewer private vehicles entering the city. We need proper urban planning, including the protection and development of our rivers. Pollution levels must be brought down. The first step is to identify the causes of air pollution and submit the findings to an expert committee.
Satheesan was speaking during the P V Thampy memorial endowment award ceremony in Kochi on Saturday.