THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government seems to be sending conflicting signals regarding the 163-MW Athirappily Hydro-electric Project. There was not a mention of the project when power minister Kadakampally Surendran elaborated on the state’s future power plans in the Assembly barely a fortnight ago. However, on Tuesday, in a written statement to a question, the minister said that the state would go ahead with the project.
The written statement, however, said that the state government had not been able to cut down the trees in the project area. It is said that nearly 10,000 trees in Athirappally and in Pukalappara near the waterfalls had been marked for felling as part of starting work on the power project. Following the minister’s statement in the Assembly, the UDF has reiterated its opposition to the project. “The UDF will oppose the project tooth and nail as the project will have disastrous consequences for the environment. We will not retreat even an inch from the decision,” Mr Chennithala said on Tuesday.
The Opposition leader said majority opinion in the project area was also against the project. “Greens say the project will submerge 140 hectares of land. Besides, if the project cost for implementing a 163 MW project there was Rs 300 crore earlier, now it would touch Rs 1,500 crore,” he said. In a bid to increase hydel power generation, the LDF government has drawn up a plan to revive stalled projects. The biggest of this is the 60 MW Pallivasal extension scheme.
