Concern in Ker over W'Ghats report, protests turn violent

Parties and farmers outfits in Kerala, cutting across political divide, today staged violent street protests opposing the Centre's decision to implement key suggestions of a committee on Western Ghats conservation, alleging it would lead to largescale displacement of settler farmers.
Protests called by agitators in affected areas, supported by opposition LDF, turned violent in parts of the state with marchers turning their ire against the Forest department offices and government vehicles.
While sharing the larger concern over the people, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest should have consulted the state before issuing the notification on the matter.

As per the notification issued by the Environment Ministry, mining, quarrying, construction of thermal plants and big building complexes would be banned in ecologically sensitive areas, identified by the Kasturirangan Committee which was formed as a follow-up on the earlier Madhav Gadgil committee.
"The Centre should have taken the state into confidence and its inputs considered before taking the final decision", Chandy told reporters.
Referring to the protest in the high-range regions, he said a lot of "negative propaganda" had gone into fanning the agitation though there was no need for panic reaction as there was still scope for addressing the state's grievances.

Chandy said he was ready to meet the central ministers concerned to convey the state's position that the farmers should not be evicted while implementing the report.

He said the government was also ready to convene an all- party meet to discuss the issue and work out a conensus.
However, Kerala Congress (M), a key partner in ruling UDF, came out openly against the Centre's decision and said the party would join the agitation even if it was spearheaded by LDF.
"We will co-operate with the mass struggle, whoever be in the forefront of it," KC (M) supremo and state Finance Minister K M Mani said.