Archive for the 'pressreleases' Category

Athirappilly struggle completes 300 days

Published
by
on December 20, 2008
in pressreleases
. 0 Comments

<!– /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:”"; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} –>

A Campaign to save Chalakkudy River in Kerala India.
The Immediate target of the campaign is to stop the proposed
Athirappilly Hydro Electrict Power Project in Chalakkudy River.
The proposed HEP & Dam will destroy the remaining biodiversity & lives &
livelihoods of people based on river

ATHIRAPPILLY SATHYAGRAHA COMPLETES 300 DAYS

By creating a new chapter in the history of struggles in Kerala, Athirappilly struggle completes 300 days highlighting the participation by people in all walks of life.

Sri.T.U.Radhakrishnan, Member, KPCC (Ex-MLA) who inaugurated the function said that the struggle which commenced on February 25 inaugurated by the famous poetess Sugathakumari teacher, continues strongly even after 300 days, even though the participants face various pressures and threats from different quarters. It is the mother nature that gives us water and air and not the governments.  KSEB should publish white paper on the scarcity of water in the dams and flow of water in the river during the summers.  KSEB does not show interest for making functional the power stations at Panniyar and Moozhiyar.

It has been pointed out that if two  new generators are implemented at Peringalkuth by spending 50 to 100 crores, this can replace the proposed Athirappilly Hydro Electric Project which is uneconomical.  Thus it is abundantly clear that the reason for decision to implement the proposed Athirappilly project for a cost of Rs.1000 crores is only in the interests of the construction lobby

Those who do not wish to face failure in the coming elections should join the struggle, he said.

Highlight of today’s struggle was the flute recital by Unnikrishnan Paakkanar.

———————————–

Murari for Chalakudyriver Protection Forum
–
Chalakudyriver Protection Forum

Visit Chalakudyriver.org

Rare species of butterflies spotted in Vazhachal Forest

Published
by
on February 12, 2008
in nature and pressreleases
. 2 Comments

Photobucket
Rare and endangered species of butterflies were spotted in Vazhachal forest near Athirappilly during a nature trek done by The Butterfly Art Foundation researchers recently. Red-spot Duke, Great Evening Brown, Malabar Flash and Five-bar Swordtail were the newly spotted species in the region, pointing to the ecological importance of the forest stretch. Dr. Unni Pulikkal, nature photographer and the director of the Foundation, along with Dr.Biju, research coordinator, did the important sighting of these rare butterflies at a time when the region is under threat of immersion if the proposed Athirappilly hydel power project comes to implementation. Dr. George Mathew of Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi, has confirmed the rarity of these species which have never entered the research documents of KFRI from this region so far.

It is said that this finding can influence even the future of the Athirappilly project, in light of the environmental implications of this important sighting. Dr.Unni Pulikkal had spotted another rare and endemic species of butterfly, the Southern Duffer, from the same region two years back.

Photobucket Photobucket

Photobucket
Dr.Unni Pulikkal, who was one among the best ten nature photographers of India selected by the Better Photography Magazine last year, was the first Indian to exhibit in the prestigious Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Ohio, USA, when he did an exhibition of butterfly photographs last year in the museum. He is also invitee to the Earth-Fest to be held in Chicago next year, where he will exhibit photographs and present a paper on the Butterflies of Western Ghats. Dr. Biju was awarded doctorate by Mahatma Gandhi University for his study on the fish fauna of forest streams. He has also done extensive study on the spiders of Kerala region.”

12thFeb08: CPI fast at Trunk road junction Chalakudy

Published
by
on February 11, 2008
in pressreleases and protest
. 0 Comments

CPI Chalakudy mandalam committee has decided to observe fast on 12.02.2008 at Chalakudy Trunk Road Junction to protest against the move of the Government to go ahead
with the construction of the Dam at Athirappilly.

Adv.Jayasankar, IAL State Secretary will inaugurate the protest fasting.