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VYPEEN island, about 21 km longand 2 kno wide, recently made newswith the formation of an island development authority which plans to build abridge connecting it to mainland.Situated north of the Kochi fort, tKochi kayal (Kochi backwaters) selrates Vypeen from Ernakularn citythe mainland.
With the Goshree Islands Develepment Authority (61DA) formed in by the Kerala government, an estimated80,000 islanders who ferry to and Ifrom Ernakularn hoped that thedecades-long demand for a bridgewould end.
But when details of the Rs 506-crGoshree project were formaannounced, many foresaw largescenvironmental degeneration and land deal possibilities with the projectimplementation.
The 3-phase GIDA plan includes construction of 6 bridges and intensivetourist infrastructure by reclaimingabout 362 ha of backwaters Thanthonni, Botghatty and Vallarpadam islands between Vypeen andErnakulam.
While considering the importanceof the Kochi backwaters as a buffer zonebetween the Arabian Sea and theVembanad lake, environmentalistsnot support any further reclamationthis waterbody. Available statistics that the lake has already reduced12,700 ha from 36,500 ha at the endthe last century.
Now, the GIDA plan intendsconvert 362 ha of the waterbodyreclaimed 'real estates'. The plan envisages dredging of a large area for building.Bridges affecting salinity intrusion fromThe sea and also talks of developing the Cherayi beach inVypeen as a tourist center.
Jacob Vadakkamcherry, general secretary of 'Swaraya Vyapeen', a voluntary organization, siid, "it is evident that thebusiam deal. A group oftly behind thiswe eviden institute had green signaled project.
These studies, however, are insufficient for implementing the Goshree project feel P K Raveendran, state president, Kerala Sastra SahityaParishad (Kssp), and a Vypeen resident.But under salvos over the recentmonths, GIDA authorities have softenedtheir reluctance to admit the seriousness of environmental aspects behind themega project.
On July 17, Ernakulam's district collector declared that the GIDA plan Would be reviewed, taking into account criticisms levelled against it. He assured that all relevant documents would be madeavailable for public scrutiny, and hinted that only minimum backwater areawould be reclaimed. The Kerala highcourt underlined in its strong verdict on a petition filed by the Kssp to uphold the right of the citzens to know the plan'sdetails.
Protestors were surprised to notethat the Union ministry of environment and forests had issued aclearance to the project which recommended a physical model and acomputer-based simulation study by anational hydrological institute, unfulfilled by GIDA. The study would takeat least 8 months to complete. Andonly now, the study - costing Rs 4.5lakh - by the Central Water PowerResearch Station, Pune, has begun.Although laying of the project's foundation stone by the Prime Ministersometime in September/October isexpected to be postponed, Kerala chiefminister A K Anthony, while chairingthe 4th general council meeting of theGIDA council on August 16, dispelledfears that the project's implementationwill be delayed.