The New Indian Express: Kerala:
Tuesday, April 15, 2014.
The very next
day after the Lok Sabha polls, Idukki MP P T Thomas fired his first salvo at
the Idukki Diocese, raising doubts about the
`4.75-crore fund the High Range Development Society received from USAID,
an American-funded agency in Delhi and from other agencies, for implementing
eco-friendly initiatives in Idukki and how the money was spent.
When
‘Express’ met Thomas at a relative’s house in Pattikkad here, where he is
recuperating from an angioplasty done a few days ago, he was not in a position
to talk as he was strictly forbidden to do so by the doctors who operated on
him. However, he agreed to write down
the answers for the reporter’s queries.
In his
written answers, “Thomas reiterated his attachment with the High Range. “I knew
the topography of Idukki so well even as a school boy,” he said. “The reason
why I say to implement the report of Western Ecology Expert Panels, whether it
be Madhav Gadgil or Kasturirangan Committee report, is that the topography of
Idukki, including that of Peermade and Munnar, has changed drastically. If we
do not act now to protect the environment the result will be drastic,” he said.
“The Gadgil
panel report will not adversely affect the farmer. In fact, it is favourable to
the farmers. Way back in 1960s, on the basis of the report of the Planning
Commission, some efforts were taken to protect the High Range. Former Prime
Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had taken special interest in such matters. If we
fail to protect the biodiversity of Western Ghats, which is the adobe of one of
the rarest species of flora and fauna in the world, we will be doing a great
injustice to the generations to come,” he said.
Out of the
nearly 53 panchayats in Idukki district, almost 40 panchayat are not getting
sufficient water. At present, they are provided water using tankers, he added.
“Pope Francis, at a meeting with several foreign diplomats at an international
event, had spoken about the need to protect nature and has underlined the same
in his upcoming book on ecology. But, it seems, the Idukki Diocese is not aware
of the Pope’s book or his exhortation,” Thomas said.
He also
mentioned that the implementation of Gadgil/Kasturirangan reports will be on
the basis of the order of National Green Tribunal (NGT).
“Whatever may
be the NGT decision, the stand taken by the Congress on the Silent Valley
project during the Indira Gandhi regime is a matter of real pride for the
party,” he noted.
According to
Thomas, the RTI information obtained by Rajesh, a student at Jawaharlal
University, Delhi, clearly states that starting from 2006-07 till 2013 the High
Range Development Society, which has Fr Sebastian Kochupurakkal of Idukki
Diocese as its executive director, had received a total of `4.75 crore from USAID and from nearly a
dozen other organisations.
“I don’t know
whether the money was used for the political campaign of the Diocese-backed
Independent candidate in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls. But, I saw
that for this candidate, who had the support of both the Idukki Diocese and the
LDF, in areas like Kalloorkadu panchayat in Muvattupuzha, (which is a part of
Idukki LS constituency) a luxury tourist bus full of food items were distributed
during campaigning. I haven’t heard of such methods of campaigning before,” he
noted.
Thomas
mentioned that all the government assured title deeds in Idukki would be
distributed regardless of implementing the eco panel reports. Besides, on an
yearly basis, `1,000 crore would be spent for the welfare of farmers if the
Gadgil Committee report would be implemented. He also exhorted the political
and Church leadership to show courage to talk facts about the Gadgil Committee
report and to condemn the hypocrisy of the CPM in supporting the High Range
Samrakshana Samiti Candidate. “History will not pardon CPM for its hypocrisy,”
Thomas warned.
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