Opposition miffed as Kerala shows green light to Athirappally Project

KOCHI: Kerala has decided to go ahead with the controversial 163 MW Athirappally hydroelectric project.
The project has been planned in the Chalakkudy river in Thrissur district. The government will soon start acquiring land for the project, electricity minister MM Mani said in the Assembly on Tuesday.

Though the original proposal for the project was mooted about three decades back, the government has not been able to take it up because of opposition to the pro ject from environmentalists.

Soon after the Pinarayi Vijayan government was elected to power, the former electricity minister Kadakampally Surendran had said the government will take up the project. His statement had invited widespread criticism.

However, CPI, an ally of the CPM in the Left Front is against the project. The CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran said the project will not be taken up just because it was mentioned in the Assembly.He said the Left Front will discuss the matter in the LDF meeting.“LDF will take the decision whether to go ahead or not“, he added.

Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said the project will destroy several adivasi settlements.The United Democratic Front (UDF) has decided is to abandon the project. “There is no compromise on the project“, he said.

The Chalakudy River Protection Council secretary Ravi said the government's decision will have serious consequences for the region.