Jairam Ramesh hits Edakochi cricket stadium for six, nods for Vizhinjam in Kochi

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The minister for environment and forests, Mr Jairam Ramesh, has spiked the Kerala Cricket Association's plan for a cricket stadium at Edakochi, citing serious environment violations.

The association could look for an alternative site to take forward its IPL plans, Mr Ramesh told media persons here on Monday after discussions with ministers on projects awaiting the Central clearance.

According to Mr Ramesh, the association had committed serious violations of the Coastal Zone Regulations.

“They were not playing cricket with a straight bat,” he said.” “They wanted to present a fait accompli by first cutting down all mangroves and making it look as if the site conformed to CRZ II norms. Nor did the association approach the department for prior clearance.”

Mr Shashi Tharoor, MP, a prime mover behind the Kochi IPL team, and the excise and ports minister, Mr K Babu, who hails from Kochi, listened to Mr Ramesh as he clarified his stance. Mr Ramesh said the Kochi Corporation should pass a resolution, admitting the lapse and warning the stadium proponents against similar misadventures.

Jairam approves Vizhinjam terminal in Kochi

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.”