THRISSUR: BJP state unit would stand firm on its demand of implementing the Gadgil panel report for the protection of Western Ghats, BJP state president V Muraleedharan has said. Speaking to reports here, he said he didn’t think the Central Government would set aside the report completely. “Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar had assured us that the report of the Gadgil committee would be considered,” he said.
“At present, the Central Government has got only Kasturirangan report with them and hence the Union Environment Ministry has informed the National Green Tribunal that it was going ahead with the Kasturirangan report,” he said. He also said that the party state unit will strive for getting the Gadgil report implemented considering the larger interests of the state.
In response to the queries by mediapersons on this issue, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said that the Kasturirangan report is comparatively better for the state. However, the report in the present form is not acceptable. The state government had approached the Prime Minister and the Environment Minister seeking removal of controversial areas from the report and it has responded positively to the apprehensions of the state, he said.