Stop Memo on Construction Works on Veterinary University Campus.

Validating the allegations raised by various environment organisations against the anti-eco activities in the ecologically-fragile areas in Pookode, the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has served a stop memo on the construction works on the Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (KVASU) campus, near.

Chief Conservator of Forests (Central) S M Somashekhar, who visited the site recently, said a comprehensive report would be submitted to the ministry on the construction activities in the reserve forest land.

The university is located on the 40 hectares of land identified for distributing among the landless tribal people by the Union government and the Supreme Court.

Though the Revenue and Forest departments had issued orders to stop all the ongoing construction activities in and around Pookode considering the environmental threats posed by such activities, the university authorities resumed the works claiming that the project had the approval of the State government. The controversial project allegedly included construction of a helipad and an indoor stadium adjacent to the university campus.

Earlier, the MoEF Forest Conservation Director, acting on a petition filed by the Kochi-based 'One Earth One Life', had directed the State government to submit a detailed report on the alleged ecological violations' at the construction site. However, no action was taken pursuant to the letter addressed to the Principal Secretary (Forests).


THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS