Kerala Power Minister rakes up controversial Athirappally project

Kerala Power Minister MM Mani raked up up the controversial proposal to build hydroelectric project at Athirappally in Chalakkudy River stating that dropping the project would be a big loss to the state. The Centre had given the environmental clearance for the project, which is still valid, he claimed. 

The state is facing severe power crisis and it will have to buy 70% of the electricity from outside, the Minister said underscoring the need for boosting power generation in the state. Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has a liability of over Rs.6,000 crore, he added. 

The state government has not dropped the Athirappally project, the minister said, attributing the freeze in the implementation to 'unnecessary controversies.' Interestingly, Mani had kept silent on the pet project of the KSEB even though he took over as the Power Minister from his party colleague Kadakampally Surendran in November last year. 

Just after swearing in as the minister, former power minister Surendran had kicked up a storm in the Left Democratic Front (LDF) by stating that Athirappally project would be implemented after clearing all environmental concerns. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also came out in support of the project, inviting sharp criticism from the environmentalists and even from the Left camp. The CPI, the second biggest partner, in the LDF opposed the Minister's statement and pointed out that the project was not in the manifesto of the ruling coalition. 

 
 CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran had warned the CPM ministers that they should consult LDF leadership before making announcements on controversial topics.  

The 163 MW Athirappilly project was in the centre of a longstanding controversy since it was proposed in forest areas near the scenic Athirappally waterfalls a decade ago. 

The Centre had rejected the green clearance to the project in 2011. Kerala State Biodiversity Board had pointed out in 2007 that the hydropower project would adversely affect ecology in the area. 
 
  
 
 

• MM Mani
• Athirappally Project
• Chalakkudy River
• LDF
• CPI
• CPM
• Kadakampally Surendran
• KSEB