Cong asks Kerala Govt to withdraw from Pathrakadavu Project

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 25 (UNI) The Congress in Kerala today asked the state government to withdraw from the proposed Pathrakadavu Hydroelectric Project on the River Kunthi in the Silent Valley National Park region of the Western Ghats.

A Congress team would visit the Pathrakadavu area soon and evaluate the situation, Pradesh Congress President Ramesh Chennithala told reporters here after the party's executive meeting.

However, Chief Minister V S Achutanandan said today the project was now being looked into by the Environment Ministry and all fears raised by the environmentalists would certainly be examined once its report came.

Mr Chennithala also asked the government to conduct a judicial inquiry into the illegal encroachment of land in Munnar. Stating the one-year rule of the Left Democratic Front was a failure, he said the Congress would launch agitations.

The Congress would also observe May 18, the first anniversary of LDF rule, as betrayal day.

UNI