Biodiversity board says ‘No’to Athitrapally project

The kerala state biodiversity board has recommended to the government to reconsider the project in vie of the threat to the rich biodiversity of the Athirapally – Vazhachal area. The board met to formulates its view on the controversial project – it has been cleared by the union ministry of forest and environment subject to 19 conditions- indicated that the project is no no from the biodiversity angle.The meeting 'Considering the biodiversity values of the area' decided to recommend to the government to 'reconsider' the hydroelectric project "in totality and without disturbing the ecosystem and species". The biodiversity board a statutory body functioning under the Biological diversity act 2002, is mandated to advice that state government " on matters relating to the conservation of biodiversity sustainable use of its components and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of biodiversity resources". In its advice the board highlights in detail that biodiversity values of the Athirapally- vazhachal area. It points out that the area is species rich and that is a habitat of several newly discovered species. At the same time the area has high endemism too. It is also an important internationally recognized bird habitat. In view of the area's rich fish diversity, the National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources had recommended it to be developed as a fish sanctuary. The puduchery based French institute which is an authority on the flora of Western Ghats had spotlighted the high conservation value of the area. The board points out that Athirapally Vazhachal is the only low lying riparian evergreen ecosystem in Kerala. The areas ecosystem service potential is enormous. Moreover the board says recognizing the importance of variation in the river to maintain the  ecosystem efficiency the project needed a rethink.
The Hindu, sep 2007