THERE seems to be no limit to the harm
done on the environment in the name
of development., At least one lakh trees
- mainly coconut - are proposed to
be felled to clear the ground for a proposed airport in Lakshadweep.
The local government has planned
to construct an airstrip in the Apdroth
island, capital of Lakshadweep. The
administration has submitted the
required'environment impact.assessment (MA) report and the environment
management plan to the Union environment and forests ministry.
According to the EiA report, a total
of 54,300 coconut trees would be felled
to pave the way for the airport which
will come up in 88.4 ha of land.
However, a team of officials of Airports
Authority of India, the administration
and the environment and forests ministry have made some investigations
which raise pertinent questions about
the project. According to the environmentalist Pratibha Pande, the massive
deforestation would affect the local
environment, resulting in depletion of
groundwater level which would
adversely affect the coconut plantations in the island.
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