Thiruvananthapuram∙ CPI district conferences become platforms for announcing that the Silver Line project should not be imposed in Kerala. There has been strong criticism once morest the project in all the district meetings held so far. As the disagreement is clarified in the conference reports, the representatives are burning in the discussion. Things are moving towards the CPI expressing the opinion that if the project is to be implemented, a complete revision is required.
Even though the CPM backed away from its insistence that the project will be implemented by any means, the government and the K Rail Company are still hopeful that they will be able to get the central approval and go ahead. However, the CPI also shares its doubt in the district meetings whether the method adopted to implement the project is ecologically and economically suitable for Kerala.
The political report on the Thrissur conference concluded yesterday also contained criticism: ‘Doubts among people regarding the project’s capital investment, environmental impact and social impact are the subject of discussion. The approach taken by the police in dealing with the protestors and the undue haste shown by the officers to bury the yellow stump added fuel to the fire. The administrative leadership has adopted a move to impose the plan contrary to the view that the development plans should be implemented by taking the people into confidence’.
The conference report in Kollam, the CPI’s biggest stronghold, also turned once morest the Silver Line: ‘It is certain that the lion’s share of the project cost will have to be borrowed from foreign agencies. People are worried that the current economic situation is not secure and that they are going to get into more debt. The question remains whether the mega project is compatible with Kerala’s environment.
The position will be clarified in the state conference
The CPI leadership had taken the approach of not standing once morest the scheme promised in the manifesto and wanting to implement it. After that, the party expressed some disagreements with the move to implement it by force, but the party took the stand that the plan might not be rejected. The rising sentiment in the district conferences may prompt the leadership to articulate the exact approach of the party in the state conference.
English Summary: Criticism once morest silverline project in cpi conferences
