Greens to fight for Iruvanjippuzha

KOZHIKODE: Amid feeble protests from public and lethargy of Kodanchery grama panchayat, the environmental organisations are planning a legal battle as well as a mass campaign against the two power projects coming up on the River Iruvanjippuzha in Kodanchery, claiming it would kill the river and reduce its waterfalls into a thin line. They say River Chaliyar is under threat from these projects over one of its principal tributaries originating from the Western Ghats in Kodanchery near Thiruvambadi.

Kerala River Protection Council (Kerala Nadi Samrakshana Samithy) leader T.V. Rajan told DC that an awareness campaign was already underway and they had already visited the village to express solidarity with their agitation. “The projects of the Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) and Minar group are violating all norms,” he said, adding such mini hydropower units are permitted only in a gap of 5 km in northern Indian states and here they are within a kilometre distance.

The groups say the destruction of river banks and diversion of streams would cause irreparable damage to the ecosystem. The state government had granted a 33-year lease for running the plants in the River basin of Chaliyar to the two. The powerhouse of the Pathankayam hydel project of Minar group in Iruvanjippuzha aims at generating four megawatts. Activist Prof T. Shobheendran told DC that the Arippara waterfalls had almost vanished and the stream itself is vanishing. “Our goal is to extend support to the local community,” he said, adding that 23 houses on the banks have been damaged due to mining on the river basin.