Thrissur: The convention of environmentalists, activists and paddy farmers with the participation of representatives from across the state held at Ayyanthole here on Sunday has decided to kick-off protest against the recent amendment made to the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act.
The event which saw the participation of S. P. Udaya-kumar, leader of anit-Kuda-nkulam Nuclear Power Plant Project, environmentalists C.R. Neelakandan and John Peruvanthanam, former minister Kutty Aham-med Kutty, writer Sarah Joseph, lawyer P.A. Pouran, Fr. George Pulikuthiyil am-ong others has set up a plan of action to start the protests and massive signature campaigns of 10 lakh people on September 5.
“The campaign will be held raising the demand to scrap the 2018 amendment given to the original Act in 2008. Further on October 16, on World Food Day, protests will be held in Thiruvana-thapuram by sowing paddy seeds at the secretariat. Mass memorandum dema-nding royalty for paddy far-mers will also be given to the government and for the immediate publication of the data bank,” Prof Kusu-mam Joseph, chief organiser of the convention said.
MLA P.T. Thomas who spoke at the convention said that the amendment had in a way abolished the original Act in 2008.
“Several LDF MLAs have told men in private that they have concerns regarding the 2018 amendment and supported me for raising the voice against it,” he added.
