THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : The state government is exploring the scope of enacting fresh legislation to ensure compensation to the residents of Plachimada in Palakkad’s Permumatty panchayat who were affected by the exploitation and pollution of groundwater by a Coca-Cola plant, Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine told the assembly on Tuesday.
He was replying to a submission by Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan. Though the state passed a Bill to ensure compensation for the victims in 2011, it was returned by the President.
The minister said that the solicitor general had given legal advice that the state could file a representative suit seeking relaxation of provisions of the National Green Tribunal Act that pertain to the time frame for adjudication of dispute and applying for a grant of compensation. Roshy said the government has not gone back on the spirit of the 2011 Bill passed by the state to ensure compensation to victims by making suitable amendments to the laws.
The minister said the compensation issue has been assessed at the chief minister level and after consultations with the advocate general, it was decided to approach the tribunal again.
In his submission, Satheesan demanded that the government take immediate steps to ensure the disbursal of compensation to the residents in Plachimada who were affected by the Coca-Cola plant.
Satheesan also pointed out that the Pollution Control Board (PCB) has not registered a case against the multinational company for groundwater pollution. Besides, provisions of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act were also not invoked for the alleged exploitation of Dalit and tribal people in the locality, he said.
MLA H Salam withdraws query on coop sector
T’Puram: CPM MLA H Salam withdrew his question on corruption in the cooperative sector in the assembly on Tuesday. He raised the unstarred question to Cooperation Minister V N Vasavan at a time when the ruling party was on the defensive in connection with the Karuvannur and Kandala cooperative bank scams. Meanwhile, the MLAs office said there was nothing unusual about withdrawing the question.