By Express News Service
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The protest towards the Ok-rail undertaking is to avoid wasting the nation from the high-speed growth paradigm and the left leaders, who’re towards the Maharashtra bullet practice undertaking, ought to oppose the Ok-rail undertaking as effectively, stated famous social activist Medha Patkar.
Inaugurating the mass gathering organized by the Ok-rail Silverline Janakeeya Samara Samithi in entrance of the Secretariat on Thursday, Medha stated Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had flown to Delhi for a direct assembly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the union railway minister stated the undertaking was not financially viable.
“Pinarayi Vijayan has not accepted the position of the central government on K-rail declared through the union railway minister. Can Modiji take a decision without consulting conclusions drawn on financial non-viability by the railway minister? Why did the CM straightaway go to meet the PM after that and why Kerala MPs were not given a hearing and instead lathi-charged?” she requested, earlier than including that Pinarayi might have stopped the Delhi police from beating up Kerala MPs on Parliament premises. She stated the Ok-rail protestors have a proper to be heard and anticipated the CM, being a left chief, to have a dialogue with them. “We had sent him and his secretary a message to have a dialogue with us. But instead, he went to meet Modi. Do they have the same development vision?” she requested.
Medha added that the Ok-rail undertaking was financially non-viable, ecologically disastrous and took a toll on folks. “Projects like these are prestigious issues for some politicians. But they are not acceptable to us. Do they want to push K-rail agitation towards the Nandigram path?” she requested.
She stated by erecting survey stones with out following the obligatory procedures, the federal government is nailing the lives of individuals, who will likely be affected by the undertaking. Training weapons on the left leaders, who had missed the police atrocities towards the Ok-rail protestors, Medha added that the left leaders asserted democratic and human rights in boards like Samyukta Kisan Morcha and urged them to concentrate to the plight of the Ok-rail victims.
Medha added that the claims of rehabilitation and resettlement within the Ok-rail undertaking can’t be based mostly on monetary settlement. “Cash does not matter much. What matters is continuity of life,” she stated. Medha, who can be one of many founders of the National Alliance of People’s Movement (NAPM) and had spearheaded the Narmada Bachao Andolan, stated Ok-rail is being opposed to avoid wasting the state’s pure sources and the state authorities has not carried out the financial, social, democratic and political affect of the undertaking. Deliberation with elected and non-elected representatives of the folks just isn’t taking place within the Ok-rail undertaking. “The Environmental Impact Assessment and the Social Impact Assessment are not being conducted as per the law. Still, trespassing is happening in several places. Without giving prior notice, stones are being put inside the premises and that’s absolutely illegal,” she stated.
Environmentalist Shashikant Sonawane was the chief visitor of the programme, whereas former CM Oommen Chandy, Congress leaders M M Hassan and KC Joseph attended the occasion.
