Kozhikode: The Keezhattoor agitation by a section of farmers to protect paddy fields should be an eye-opener for the state government which should be more cautious while clearing projects, many feel. The intervention of the pro-left Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad (KSSP) which brought out an alternative for the bypass project after conducting an impact study at the local-level also has become a talking point. In fact, this gave a turn to the discussions.
The state should bring out foolproof as well as a permanent mechanism for assessing the social and environmental impact of such projects, it was pointed out. The entry of KSSP in support of the farmers of Keezhattoor also forced the ruling CPM to mellow its earlier stand of unleashing a campaign against farmers of Keezhattoor.
KSSP’s alternative with a flyover lays down that the dual-mode of road transport, simultaneously through the flyover and through the road is widely used in major cities, and it will save 22 hectares of rare wetland of the Keezhattur-Koovod-Kuttikol stretch.
While the state government earlier rejected the first alignment suggested by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) which would have resulted in the demolition of a few buildings, the second one through paddy fields and wetlands was opposed by a section of farmers.
KSSP leader T. K. Devarajan told DC that it was high time that the state government set up a mechanism to address the growing number of such protests across the state. “Such issues and proposals for new projects destroying paddy and wetlands should be subjected to deep study by an expert team including experts from NATPAC, scientists, environmentalists, officials and farmers”, he said, adding that it should be a state-level and permanent mechanism.
The study at Keezhattoor was conducted at the local-level with local expertise. Such proposals also should be subjected to expert assessment, he added.
Leader of Keezhattoor agitation Suresh Keezhattoor told DC that the farmers welcomed the proposal of KSSP which would ensure justice for farmers with minimum damage to the eco-system as well as existing shops.
