Jairam nod for Vizhinjam in Kochi

Jun 14, 2011 |

Thiruvananthapuram

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Union Minister for Environment and Forests, Mr Jairam Ramesh, interacted with the Chief Minister, Mr Oommen Chandy, and other ministers here on Monday, giving on-the-spot approvals for several proposals and rejecting outright two others.

While Mr Ramesh dumped Edakochi cricket stadium and Athirapally hydel project, he gave the nod for the prestigious deepwater container terminal at Vizhinjam.

Mr Ramesh, who visited Vizhinjam earlier in the day, said clearance for the port involved the environment impact assessment of two monsoons and post-season, which would take one year.

But all works, including issuing tenders for the deepwater container terminal project at the rocky site could go on in tandem.

The minister sanctioned Rs 10 crore to start work on the restoration and rejuvenation of the Vembanad ecosystem, on which hinges the future of Kumarakom as a tourist destination.

“It's a dirty ecosystem,” he commented, and added that de-siltation, sewage removal and pollution control would start soon. A masterplan would be carried out with Rs 90 crore aid from World Bank and UNDP.

Rejecting Athirapally, Mr Ramesh said he did not mind whether it was the UDF or the LDF which pushed the project since it was “not in Kerala’s or the nation’s interest.”

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