Practical approach needed for development, environment protection
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 29 : Development and protection of environment are equally important for the land and a practical approach should be taken in this regard, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said today
Inaugurating the 25th Kerala Science Congress here, he said "Kerala is having acute shortage in availability of land. Density of population is also too high." "High increase in growth rate and modernisation is drastically affecting the environment. It is the ever increasing waste that is causing a great deal of problem in our state," he said
"Shortage of drinking water is one of the greatest threat that is impending and the reason for this is the lacklustre attitude we have shown in protecting our environment," he added
Agriculture Minister K P Mohanan emphasised the Government's commitment to farmers welfare and promotion of sustainable agricultural practices by efficient and optimum utilisation of natural resources. He explained the strategy of the Government to transform the weakness of small land holdings into a strength by aggressively promoting hi-tech agriculture which not only improves production and the productivity but also results in increased income levels of the farmers
He called upon the bankers and other stakeholders to support the farmers in setting up of polyhouses and to practice precision farming techniques
He advised the banks to ensure timely credit to all the farmers and to utilise the database of farmers being created by the Government and requested the banks to support the farmers undertaking farming in lease of lands
Instead, they were handed over to another contracter, who had employed them for road construction and cleaning work at the Saudi Electrical Power Plant at Shuaiba for more than 12 hours a day
They said no salary has been paid to the workers during the last six months except Rs 400 Saudi Arabian Riyal as pocket money
Majority of them have taken ill as they were not provided adequate food and drinking water in the labour camp, they claimed adding an action committee has been constituted to pursue the case
Action Committee Convenor Pradeep Kumar said representations has already been submitted to External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi and Kozhikode MP M K Raghavan for their intervention in the case