Marxists, Congress lock horns over park

Thiruvananthapuram: An eco theme park initiated by a society backed by the ruling Communist Party of India Marxist (CPM) in Kerala has run into rough seas, with the federal ministry of environment objecting to it and Congress leader K Sudhakaran insisting that the CPM would have to stop work on the park.

The creation of the theme park in a mangrove-rich area at Pappinissery in Malabar has also raised eyebrows among environmentalists.

Reacting to federal ministry of environment and forests' communication to K Sudhakaran MP stating that the park would not be given clearance, CPM Kannur district secretary P Sasi said the park would not be shut down based on the basis of that communication. The ministry of environment and forests is headed by Congressman Jairam Ramesh.

Construction continues

Sasi likened the communication from Jairam Ramesh to Sudhakaran as personal communication between two members of the Congress party and vowed that the communication would not spell the end of construction at the park.

An angry Sudhakaran retorted that the CPM was protesting against the courts, and did not fear the media either, adding that if the party did not stop construction at the theme park it would have to face the consequences.

The society that is promoting the park, incidentally, has the motto ‘Save the earth, save yourself'. The society is of the view that the park will help the cause of environment protection.