Thrissur: The untimely demise of Union Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave has come as a shock for the functionaries of Nila Vichara Vedi, a socio-environmental organisation that works for the revival of Bharathapuzha.
Mr Dave and ecologist Madhav Gadgil were expected to take part as chief guests in the National River Fest to be held on the banks of Nila (Bharathapuzha) from June 2 to 5.
"The news of death has come as shocker. It is a setback for our efforts to implement major watershed programmes for the river and the plan to take back the encroachments on the river bed. Even when he was ill, he spoke to us when we went to invite him to the river fest," said Vipin Koodiyedath, an activist of the Vedi.
Mr Dave, a native of Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, had inspected Bharathapuzha in 2014 as the head of the Parliament standing committee for water conservation. An environmentalist, he had then suggested several projects to revive the dying rivers in Kerala, members of the Vedi said.
