INVITATION
'RIVER FOR LIFE' YATRA (23-26th NOVEMBER 2005)
&
CONVENTION ON 'WATER RIGHTS' (27th NOVEMBER 2005)
Dear Friend,
Your kind Attention is invited.
Coinciding with the 20th Anniversary of the NBA struggle and in
solidarity with the
people in Narmada valley,another struggle against dams is gaining momentum in
Kerala.
The Chalakudy River Protection Forum formed by around forty local, regional and
state level groups and organizations who are concerned about the fate of the
Chalakudy River in Kerala presently under the threat of the 163 MW Athirappilly
Hydro Electric Project is organizing a 'River For Life' River march (Yatra) from
downstream to upstream during 23rd to 26th November 2005 covering all the
panchayaths in the river basin with the message to 'join hands to save the river
from the Athirappilly Hydro Electric Project'. The river march will conclude at
Athirappilly on the 26th evening followed by a 'Convention on Water
Rights' on the
27th from 11am to 3 pm. The river yatras coming from three routes will join at
Chalakudy town on the 25th evening followed by a meeting at Chalakudy.
The combined
yatra will take off from Chalakudy on the 26th morning to reach
Athirappilly by
evening followed by the Convention on the 27th.
All are invited to take part and give strength to the people and the cause by
joining the yatra at any stage and/or convention to save this
beautiful and small
Wild River from a seventh dam.
As you are all well aware the long drawn struggle against the proposed 163 MW
Athirappilly Hydro Electric Project has entered a new phase with the
project gaining
Environmental Clearance for a second time in February 2005 through the
back door.
The MoEF, the KSEB and the State Government has joined hands to gain
Clearance for
this project that has consistently been opposed by the people and
panchayaths in the
river valley all these years
Informed sources from the State Government state that the preliminary
work on the
project would commence by the year-end. The Athirappilly Panchayath in
which the dam
is proposed and the tribals who face displacement have already filed PILs in the
High Court of Kerala demanding the revoking of Clearance. Atleast 10 panchayaths
have submitted resolutions against the project to the State
Government. People have
been resorting to different forms of protest through sit-ins, fasts, workshops,
meetings, media outreach etc over the past months.
The consistent opposition has been mounting due to the adverse impact
the project
would have on the downstream populations namely; drinking and irrigation water
stress, and loss of tourism related livelihoods of thousands when the
Athirappilly
and Vazhachal waterfalls disappear. The Hydro Project if built will be
the seventh
large dam in the 144km small river originating from the Western Ghats.
The river is
already water starved due to inter-state and inter-basin water
diversions, dams and
heavy deforestation of the catchment.
Incidentally the convention also coincides with the 20th Anniversary of the long
drawn people's struggle of Narmada Bachao Andolan. We express our
solidarity with
the resistance and all other people led struggles going on against river valley
projects. Let us give strength to each other.
Those who are desirous of joining the Yatra and Convention during any
of the days
please inform us at the earliest by phone or email given below. You
can also support
the campaign.
A second circular will soon follow with more details. Please circulate
this invitation.
Warmly,
S.Unnikrishnan
Chalakudy River Protection Forum (CPF)
Chalakudy
Phones: +91-487-2353021/5524110
9847371337 ( Aryakrishnan)
E mail to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
-------------------------------------------------------
Anivar Aravind
--
Knowledge is power... share it equitably!
http://www.gnu.org
