Silent protest to save sacred grove in Kerala

KOCHI: A group of green activists has decided to exercise NOTA (none of the above) option in the Lok Sabha polls in Kerala as a mark of silent protest to save Shantivanam, a green abode with sacred groves and ponds at North Paravur in Ernakulam.
As many as 55 signatories, including National Alliance for People’s movement (NAPM) and noted environmentalists like former chairman of Kerala state biodiversity board V S VIjayan, will participate in the silent protest to save the man-made forest on Monday.
Several research organizations like Kerala Forest Research Institute and society for environment education in Kerala in their reports had outlined the significance of these sacred groves. “We have decided to go for NOTA option. We will observe a silent protest at Shantivanam on Monday,” said NAPM state coordinator Kusumam Joseph.
The greens said that the initiative to opt for NOTA began two days ago primarily against the Kerala state electricity board (KSEB) decision to align a 110kV line with construction of huge towers through the two-acre sacred grove and manmade forest at North Paravur.
“The area is home to hundreds of birds, snakes and other animals,” said former head of state disaster management centre K G Thara, one of the signatories to NOTA option.
“It is also a source of groundwater and offers fresh oxygenated air to the otherwise polluted surroundings. It is alleged that there is an alternative alignment but KSEB is not interested as it passes through the plot of a former KSEB chairman,’’ she said.