HC orders fresh panel to study Vizhinjam erosion, asks to ensure no conflict of interest
The Kerala High Court on Friday, October 30, ordered the constitution of a new independent expert committee to examine allegations of coastal erosion caused by the Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport project. The court declared the previous committee appointed by the Kerala government in 2022 as flawed, owing to allegations of conflict of interest against some members. Judge Harishankar V Menon asked the state government to ensure that there is no conflict of interest for the proposed members of the new committee. The first committee, headed by former Additional Director of Central Water and Power Research Stations, Pune, M D Kudale, was constituted by the Kerala government in 2022, following an order of the National Green Tribunal. Other members of the committee included Riji John, Vice Chancellor, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, Kochi; Tejal Kanitkar, Associate Professor, School of Natural Sciences & Engineering, National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore; and P K Chandramohan, former Chief Engineer, Kandla Port Trust. The constitution of the committee became a controversy after allegations of conflict of interest surfaced against the members. Committee chairman Kudale had worked as an expert member of the technical sub-committee for the development of the Vizhinjam Seaport. Those who objected to the committee had alleged prejudice, as Kudale had opposed the findings of a paper, ‘Impact of port development on the coastline and the need for protection’ published in the Indian Journal of Geo Marine Science in 2010. Another member, PV Chandramohan, was associated with Navayuga Engineering Company, which has ties with Adani Enterprises in some construction projects. The Adani group owns operating rights and controlling stakes in the port. The court observed that before submitting its final report, the committee had conducted only one inspection at Vizhinjam and held only a single meeting with the inhabitants of the locality. The coastal community had alleged that the construction of the seaport has led to erosion of the coast, especially on the northern side of the project.
THE Kerala High Court on Friday, October 30, ordered the constitution of a new independent expert committee to examine allegations of coastal erosion caused by the Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport project.
The court declared the previous committee appointed by the Kerala government in 2022 as flawed, owing to allegations of conflict of interest against some members.
Judge Harishankar V Menon asked the state government to ensure that there is no conflict of interest for the proposed members of the new committee.
The first committee, headed by former Additional Director of Central Water and Power Research Stations, Pune, M D Kudale, was constituted by the Kerala government in 2022, following an order of the National Green Tribunal.
Other members of the committee included Riji John, Vice Chancellor, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, Kochi; Tejal Kanitkar, Associate Professor, School of Natural Sciences & Engineering, National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore; and P K Chandramohan, former Chief Engineer, Kandla Port Trust.
The constitution of the committee became a controversy after allegations of conflict of interest surfaced against the members.
Committee chairman Kudale had worked as an expert member of the technical sub-committee for the development of the Vizhinjam Seaport.
Those who objected to the committee had alleged prejudice, as Kudale had opposed the findings of a paper, ‘Impact of port development on the coastline and the need for protection’ published in the Indian Journal of Geo Marine Science in 2010.
Another member, PV Chandramohan, was associated with Navayuga Engineering Company, which has ties with Adani Enterprises in some construction projects. The Adani group owns operating rights and controlling stakes in the port.
The court observed that before submitting its final report, the committee had conducted only one inspection at Vizhinjam and held only a single meeting with the inhabitants of the locality.
The coastal community had alleged that the construction of the seaport has led to erosion of the coast, especially on the northern side of the project.
