Records of meet convened on November 1 out, Minister Roshy Augustine's argument fails

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government's claim that a meeting was not convened before the tree felling order in Mullaperiyar fails. The government record of the November 1 meeting is out. The meeting is mentioned in the covering letter held before the approval was given. The meet was mentioned in the letter to additional chief secretary T K Jose by chief wildlife officer Bennichan Thomas. This document refutes the arguments of the state government and the ministers. Minister Roshy Augustine had earlier said that no such meeting had taken place.

The irrigation department is trying to establish that no such meeting was held on November 1. A similar argument was made in the Assembly today. It is clear from the order as part of the letter sent to T K Jose that the decision to give permission to fell trees was taken at the meeting held on November 1. When Minister Roshy Augustine said that such a meeting had not taken place and there is no evidence of it, a document has now come out which proves it wrong.

The irrigation department has taken the stand of placing all the responsibility on the forest department and protecting the secretary of the department. The ambiguity that existed on the subject also changes with this document. On November 5, Bennichan Thomas issued an order granting permission to fell down the trees. Prior to this, the order was issued on the basis of a meeting held at the Chamber of Water Resources Secretary on November 1. The government explained in the assembly that high level meetings have not been convened.

Minister A K Saseendran had earlier changed the claim that a joint inspection had not taken place on tree felling. Opposition leader V D Satheesan also accused the ministers of cheating the assembly by saying one thing in the assembly and another in AKG centre.