The report would be sent to the Union Ministry within two weeks, he said, adding, the matter would be taken up seriously, after which the Speaker refused leave for debate on the issue.
Opposition UDF members staged a walk-out in the Kerala assembly today protesting against Speaker K Radhakrishnan refusing leave for debate on an adjournment motion on the CPI(M)-controlled mangroves park in Kannur, which was ordered to be closed down by Union Environment Ministry citing violation of CRZ norms.
Replying to the motion by KC Joseph (Congress), Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan said on receipt of the Union Ministry's letter, state Coastal Management Authority had constituted an expert committee which would visit the park in two days and submit a report.
The report would be sent to the Union Ministry within two weeks, he said, adding, the matter would be taken up seriously, after which the Speaker refused leave for debate on the issue.
Seeking leave for the motion, KC Joseph said the Eco Tourism Society headed by CPI-M leader EP Jayarajan, which was running the park at Pappinissery in Kannur, had flouted all CRZ rules while setting up the facility.
In a case related to the park,state Science and Technology department itself had filed an affidavit in the High Court that the area was "ecologically sensitive" and any construction activity there would amount to gross violation of rules under CRZ, Joseph said.
The rules also prohibited use of such ecologically fragile areas for commercial or entertainment activities. The team of experts sent to the park recently by Union Environment Ministry had noted that the park was more of a commercial venture than a conservation venture, he said.
Opposition leader Oommen Chandy said the Chief Minister's reply was an 'admission of guilt'. Despite the state government receiving the Envrionment Ministry's letter on July 14, no step had been taken to close it down, he said.
While the CRZ laws were being stringently applied when poor fishermen wanted to build houses, a CPI(M)-controlled society was being allowed to flout all rules, Chandy said before trooping UDF members out of the House.
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