Greens come out against waterway project

KOCHI: Environmentalist C R Neelakandan has said that the government should abandon the high-speed airport-seaport waterway project as it will affect the potable water supply from the Periyar. Inaugurating a dharna organised by Association for Environmental Protection here on Saturday, Neelakandan expressed concerns that if the high speed boats are operated in the Periayar, the flow of salt water from the sea would increase.According to him, speed boats are operated only in salt water lakes and if such projects are implemented in rivers, the biodiversity of the river will be affected.  Around 50 lakh people are depending on the Periyar and the operation of the speed boats will contaminate the river.The association members said that Periyar had been a habitat for animals and birds and the government should protect its biodiversity. With the increase of tourism and operation of tourist boats in the region, the river will get polluted. Several environment lovers and social workers of the district took part in the dharna.