Kerala Tunnel Project Faces Calls for Suspension After Debris Flow
The Wayanad Prakrithi Samrakshana Samiti, an environmental collective, has called on the Kerala government to suspend all construction activities at the Kalladi tunnel mouth following a debris flow incident. The group held the government accountable for the disaster, demanding an immediate halt to work until an expert scientific panel reviews the project.
In a resolution passed on Wednesday, the Samiti rejected statements by Agriculture Minister T. Siddique, who reportedly placed sole responsibility on the contracting company. The group termed the minister's remarks a “challenge to the public” and alleged that the tunnel project was approved during the tenure of the Left Democratic Front government with “suspicious haste and without adequate scientific evaluation.”
The Samiti claimed that early warnings from environmentalists were ignored and that the government secured stage-one clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change by providing misleading information. They also questioned the transparency of the Detailed Project Report prepared by the Konkan Railway Corporation, alleging that safety parameters were compromised to expedite construction.
Environmental activists who moved court seeking scientific appraisals were allegedly vilified as “anti-development” and subjected to harassment. The group warned that the debris flow is a “stern message from nature” and demanded a comprehensive probe by a credible agency into the roles of Public Works Department engineers, study agencies, the State Environment Impact Assessment Committee, and former legislators who supported the project.
The Samiti urged Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan to suspend operations immediately. The meeting was presided over by N. Badusha, with several other Samiti leaders speaking.
As of now, no official response from the Kerala government or the contractor has been reported. The incident raises questions about safety protocols and environmental clearances for infrastructure projects in ecologically sensitive areas.
