Green Marxist succumbs to ‘power’ needs

 
Chief Minister V.S.Achuthanandan, the green man among the hardcore Marxist stalwarts in the state, has finally succumbed to the pressure for 'power' and cleared the Pathrakkadavu hydro-electric project, which he used to fight against in the past. However, deliberately, or not, the Chief Minister uttered not a single word regarding the Cabinet's decision to give administrative sanction to the Rs.247-crore project that has been kept under the carpet for this long for fear of protest from environmentalists and some other hurdles.

The project proposal was prepared by the KSEB way back in 2003, but the then UDF Government decided to soft pedal in the project waited for the Forest Department's opinion over the project. Present Chief Secretary Lizzie Jacob who was the Power Secretary at that time was instrumental in adopting a sluggish attitude towards the project.


(The New Indian Express,19th April 2007)