Rallying in support for Akkulam lakesides

The rally will begin from the Chilavannoor Kayal in the morning on Saturday.
Rallying in support for Akkulam lakesides

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With no action being initiated by the district administration against the illegal filling up of the Akkulam lakesides, a people's movement is upping its ante to protect the lake. The 'anti-mafia squad', a people's movement, will start its journey from the Chilavannoor Kayal in Kochi on Saturday and culminate its journey at Akkulam. The rally is being held to protect the backwaters of Kerala and on Sunday, the team will reach Akkulam.

The rally is spearheaded by the members of the Chilavannoor Kayal Samrakshana Sanghom and the vigil net who will undertake a journey from Kochi and visit the coastal regions destroyed illegally. "We have observed a pattern in which the coastal regions in Kerala are being acquired illegally by real estate mafia and others. This is evident in the case of Chilavannoor kayal, where despite a stop memo has been issued, construction is being carried out. All these violations happen right under the nose of the authorities and still, no action is being taken. It is clear that a few officials, politicians and the builders are hand in glove in this. In this backdrop we are coming together to fight what can be called as a mafia which is destroying our natural resources," says Nipun Cheriyan, a member of Chilavannoor Kayal Samrakshana Sanghom.

The rally will begin from the Chilavannoor Kayal in the morning on Saturday. The team will then journey to other coastal areas which are facing indiscriminate destruction by illegal construction activities. The areas covered include the Thottappally and Haripad in Alappuzha, Alappad,  Shasthamcotta and Ashtamudi in Kollam, and Akkulam. The members undertaking their journey in the NH in their own vehicles will hold interactions and visit the coastal areas in question ."What we see is organised crime perpetrated on the ecology. We are trying to meet all like-minded people and intensify our fight. This is our response to organised crime and we will join together and fight the mafia," he adds.

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