In the wake of the devastating landslides, which claimed over 400 lives, the CPI, the second largest constituent in the ruling LDF, has come out against the twin-tunnel project connecting Wayanad and Kozhikode.
CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam the other day openly warned against the implementation of the project,which the state government has been agressively pushing for implementation.
Binoy Viswam said the state should think thrice before executing such mega projects in the extremely Western Ghat mountain zones.
He said there should be more scientific studies before finalizing the project, any developmental project sacrificing the lives of the poor is not real development.
The proposed tunnel starts from Anakkampoil in Kozhikode district and ends at Kalladi in Meppadi panchayat in Wayanad district. Kalladi is just a few kilometer away from Mundakkai, where the recent landslide originated.
The proposed tunnel will shorten the distance between Kozhikode and Wayanad to 54 km. It will attract a large number of touristsBut the land is too unstable, says experts
CPI’s opposition to the project has given momentum to the ongoing protest against the project by the environmentalists.
The Wayanad Prakriti Samrakshana Samithy leader N Badisha said if the government implement such projects even after a massive landslide, it will lead to more tragedies in the coming days. The landslide is just a warning signal, he said.
The crown of the landslide is close to the mouth of the tunnel on Vellarmala, Badusha said.