Posted on June 4, 2020
Controversy after undertaking headed by CPI(M) man is contracted to transport river sand
The State Forest Department has revoked a controversial order issued by the Pathanamthitta District Collector permitting Kerala Clays and Ceramic Products, a Kannur-based public sector entity headed by a functionary of the CPI(M), to transport costly river sand from Triveni at Pampa.
Additional Chief Secretary (Forests) Asha Thomas issued the order on Tuesday soon after Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala accused the government of having used flood preparedness as a cover to bypass the Forest Conservation Act to accord financial advantage to the public sector entity.
The dispute reportedly prompted a closed-door meeting between Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Forest Minister K. Raju at the Secretariat here. Mr. Raju later told mediapersons that the Forest Department could not allow any removal of sand from within the protected forests without the approval of the Central government.
Monsoon preparedness
Later, an official clarified that the Disaster Management Authority might want the firm to remove the accumulated sand or silt from Pampa as part of the State’s monsoon preparedness. The plan was to store the sand at the Nilackal base camp.
If so, it was binding on the district administration to ensure that the sand miners deposited the sediment on sites specified by the Forest Department. No person or entity could ferry the sand out of the forest area for any purpose without the concurrent consent of the Central government and the Forest Department. However, the firm could engage contractors to remove the sand, silt and debris deposited in Triveni by the floodwaters in 2018.
A private firm had removed the sediment from the riverbed and heaped it at the spot in 2018. The District Collector should monitor the removal of the deposits. The department has prohibited the firm from selling the sand until further order.
Chennithala’s charge
Mr. Chennithala alleged people contracted by the public sector entity had been smuggling sand out of the Sabarimala forests since last week.
He attempted to link the “illegal removal of sand” to an aerial survey of the spot conducted by former Chief Secretary Tom Jose and State Police Chief Loknath Behera.
Source: thehindu
