Times
of India: Kochi: Saturday, 26 September 2015.
Contrary to
claims made by the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA), a report
obtained under RTI has blamed the development agency for destroying the
mangrove forests in Mundamvely.
The report
submitted by the Palluruthy village officer to Fort Kochi revenue divisional
officer (RDO) and Kochi tahsildar showed that the GCDA had destroyed mangroves
for a farm tourism project at Mundamvely.
Following
instructions from Fort Kochi RDO S Suhas, Palluruthy village officer Jyothy had
issued a memo to GCDA authorities to stop work on the cage farming project at
Mundamvely on Friday. But GCDA authorities claimed that the farm tourism
project was a government initiative and, hence, no action can be taken against
such an endeavour.
"The
village officer had met us on Friday. Since the project is a government
initiative, revenue authorities cannot take action against it," said R
Lalu, secretary, GCDA.
"Moreover,
we haven't damaged mangroves on the land. We have cut down some 'kammatti
plants'. We don't know if 'kammatti' belongs to the mangrove category," he
said.
The RDO had
instructed the village officer to file a report based on a complaint by RTI
activist K T Cheshire.
The report
submitted by Palluruthy village officer, a copy of which is with TOI, clearly
states that mangroves were cut down at the farm tourism project site by GCDA.
"Mangroves
can be cut down and replaced with good ones. So, there is no violation even if
we cut down mangroves," Lalu said.
"Moreover,
we are planning to plant mangroves in the land. On Friday, we have placed an
order to purchase 500 mangrove plants from the Centre for Mangroves Research of
Fisheries Station, Puthuvype," he said.
However,
forest department officials said that mangroves cannot be destroyed for any
project, government or otherwise.
"We have
received a complaint in this regard. Our officials will inspect the site on
Saturday. Destroying mangroves is a crime," said Malayattoor divisional
forest officer (DFO) Vijayanand.
"We will
meet authorities, including the district collector, to discuss the issue
soon," he said.
According to
GCDA, they had taken over around 80 acres in Mundamvely almost four decades
ago. "The original plan was to construct residential complexes.
Considering the importance of mangrove protection, we changed the plan. The
farm tourism project is a eco-friendly one," a GCDA official said.
GCDA is
developing about 15 acres of land owned by them in the region. There are
mangroves, shrimp farms and wetlands in this region. For the Rs 6-crore
project, GCDA has procured about 30,000 fishlings from Karakkal in Tamil Nadu.
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