Dharna staged against reclamation of lake

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Protesting against the large-scale reclamation of  Vellayani backwaters  by the resorts and real-estate mafia, a Secretariat dharna was staged under the joint aegis of the Kalanilayam Paristhithi Vedi,  environmentalists and  cultural activists here on Monday. Speaking on the occasion,  eminent poet and environmental activist  D Vinayachandran said  Vellayani lake  was one of the two  freshwater lakes in the State.  “It is high time that we conserve our  waters sources, rivers and lakes as water is essential for  life’s existence.  Think about the future of our kids in the absence of drinking water,” he said.He said political parties had no interest in taking up the issues of reclamation of lakes or encroachment of  rivers. It is time for  small groups from the locality to come together against such reclamations and encroachments.Noted sculptor  Kanayi Kunhiraman said the Vilappilsala agitation was a successful example of  local people’s fight against forces imposing injustice on them. Poet Sugathakumari, Kattoor Narayana Pillai,  Karakkamandam Vijayakumar, V Harilal of Sasthra Sahithya Parishat, Sambasivan Muthana  and others were present. Anichandran  and Jayanan, chairman  and convener  of Kalanilayam  Parishtithi Vedi,  said  with the support of the certain politicians and  IAS officers, the real-estate and resorts groups had started reclamation of the lake from 1994-95. They asked the Government to notify the area as an ecologically fragile area. The  Kalliyoor, Venganoor panchayats and Thiruvananthapuram Corporation should  take up the issue  jointly and ask the Government to issue a notification banning residential buildings within  50 metres  and commercial buildings within 200 metres of the reclaimed lake.