Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Aranmula Perhaps Has Bigger Roles to Play

It was a history of laws and protocols being violated at Aranmula all along. Far too many to count. To cite one when the Assembly Committee, with representatives of the elected members of Kerala legislature,  led by C.P. Mohammed, a Member of the Legislature and a representative of the ruling Congress Party gave a decision that a proposed airport project at Aranmula, by an obscure private company at a heritage village, in a wetland, be summarily dropped people of Kerala thought that the democratic system will be honored. It was not. And then one after the other the various statutes, various agencies of government were flouted, these continue to be. These are mostly laws and systems from the British colonial era and have outlived their purpose may be true as pointed out by many, where a new dawn is required. Failed systems create all the mess, insensitivity to environment is just one of the ills that plague the country, there are far too many others like rampant corruption, a perennial news in India.    

And as a statewide campaign is under way to protect Kerala's native survival systems, the environment, based at Aranmula and across the state, the patriots shall be called in to protect the Mother Nature. Decolonize India and evolve healthier alternatives. That the country protects its basics, the symbiotic culture and values, what makes human life possible. This was ravaged during the days of British colonization. an alien people exploiting India. Unfortunately later these values got implanted and some sections took it as a tool of further exploitation. What continues. Aranmula is a pocket with native values and healthy ecosystem ad any attempt to colonize the place, even if in the name of an airport project, shall be resisted and it is a resolve of the people. It may also trigger a major movement, such small issues triggered movements like quit India in history is well known.  It will help cleanse the system, evolve healthier alternatives, not just at Aranmula but Kerala as a whole. Perhaps India too, by joining with the forces of redemption. And that as every sensible citizen of India knows is long over due.

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Aranmula - Charter of Demands


Anti – Airport Action Council Aranmula

Charter of Demands

The All Party Meet and Public Meeting Held on April 27, 2013 at the Royal Hall, Pathanamthitta under the Leadership of Smt. Sugathakumari has Finalized the Following Charter of Demands with Regard to the Proposed International Airport at Aranmula.

1.     Summarily Cancel the Aranmula Airport Project

2.     Cancel the Industrial Area Declaration around Aranmula and Stop the Proposed Special Economic Zone Declaration Plans if Any

3.     Withdraw all Permissions whatsoever Granted in Connection with the Aranmula Airport Project

4.     Cancel the Kerala State Government’s Decision to take 10 percent Share in the Aranmula Airport Private Company

5.     Enquire in To and Take Corrective Action With Regard to the Cases where Land Owned by the Weaker Sections Have been Illegally Captured by the Private Airport Company

6.     Stop Any Attempt to Weaken the Existing Laws for Wetlands – Paddy Fields Protection in Kerala State

7.     Follow up the Violations of Law as pointed out by the Hon. Vigilance Court, Kottayam and Hon. District Collector, Pathanamthitta and take Action Against the Accused

8.     Distribute the Land Illegally Held in Possession by the Private Airport Company in violation of the Land Reforms Act to the Landless Poor for Agriculture

9.     Provide Financial Support and Necessary Orders to various Departments that the Paddy Cultivation in the banks of the Pampa river is revitalized, that Food and Water Security are Achieved.

Declared by Shri Mullakkara Ratnakaran, MLA, at the Meeting held at Pathanamthitta on 27 April 2013 Chaired by Smt. Sugathakumari, in the presence of Shri O Rajagopal, Shri M A Baby, Shri Pannyan Ravindran, Shri Thomas Issac, Shri Gopalankutty Master, Shri N K Premachandran, Shri Mathew T Thomas, Shri Binoy Viswom,  Shri Philipose Thomas, Smt. Maleth Saraladevi, Shri P C Unnichekkan, Shri A Padmakumar, Adv. K Haridas, Shri P Induchoodan, Shri N K Nandakumar, Shri P Prasad,  Shri P R Shaji, Shri  Pradeep Ayroor, Shri S Ananthakumar, Shri Omalloor Sankaran, Shri  Kurunthar Uthaman, Shri Krishnan Kutty, Shri Kummanam Rajasekharan and Others.   

Saturday, April 27, 2013

Will Aranmula Alter the Political Map of Kerala for the Better


It was historic, an unusual political formation at Pathanamthitta. Perhaps one that may see Kerala polity changed for the good. One after the other the ‘think tanks’ of Kerala politics said that they want a Kerala that honors its survival systems. At the Royal Hall at Pathanamthitta perhaps history was being made, silently. Used to the old paradigm, old rhetoric, many of them watching were unable to take it in, including media. But the galaxy of political leaders from a broad political spectrum, some of them arch political enemies for some time, that converged at Aranmula wanted the Aranmula ethos to lead the Kerala of tomorrow. Where people counter injustice. That the state has a future of environmental sanity, justice, and more important, rule of law. And if things go by what the leaders said, Kerala shall have a positive future tomorrow. And as speaker after speaker said Aranmula is a symbol, of entire Kerala, its course shall decide future Kerala, good or bad.       
It was the meeting of the Action Council called by poet activist Sugathakumari, to protest against the proposed insane idea of an international airport at Aranmula.

The thousands of people swelling at the hall had the pend up anguish, the airport plan is a case where the laws of the land, ethics and values have all been violated with impunity.And the participants leading were the core leaders of all political parties. It was a spectrum from the Communist Party of India – Marxist (CPIM) to the Bharateeya Janata Party (BJP), and it had only one agenda, save Kerala ecosystem. And who else is qualified to call such a meeting, save Sugathakumari the Mother figure of Malayalam. There were state leaders of CPIM- Leninist to the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh (RSS). The CPIM, CPI, RSP, Janata Dal, and an array of political parties including the healthier leaders of the ruling Congress party, social and environmental organizations, that came to attend the protest against the threat to Aranmula, dear to all Malayalis. And majority of them were crucial decision makers in the respective parties.

Mother Nature seemed pleased, it was raining cats and dogs once the people were inside the hall, and as
believed it is a good omen in the Malayali belief. And Sugathakumari herself said that in her inaugural address, so did O Rajagopal, saintly leader of the BJP. As it rained outside and the earth songs of poet ONV Kurup filled the hall people flooding the hall waited in surprised anticipation. The meeting started with a message from V S Achuthanandan, always a part of the agitation against the airport and who was unable to come this time, who wanted the insane airport plan dropped at the earliest and the nefarious forces punished. Doyen of Kerala politics and the senior most among those present, perhaps also the most respected,  O Rajagopal said that the airport plan at the wetlands of Aranmula is an antithesis of the Malayali culture and beliefs. It is the alien, in whatever form, incursions that have distorted the nature loving culture and beliefs of native Kerala, leading to all the turmoil. Rajagopal wanted nothing short of restoring the wetlands, and the river illegally filled, for the airport.

Thomas Issac, senior leader of the CPIM, said that he was not against development of infrastructure but wanted it in tune with the people’s need, in tune with nature’s harmony. But these are all violated in the case of Aranmula, where vested interests and other unseen forces have high jacked the elected government itself. The corporate agenda is being bull dozed over the people. It was ridiculous that the members only area of the Kerala Assembly saw the operators of the private airport company creeping in and passing on notes to the ministers answering member’s questions, said M A Baby, former minister and one of the ideologues of the Party. It was a CPIM, MLA, Raju Antony, who raised the issue before the Hon. Speaker who could only tell that the matter shall be enquired in to. This is trashing democratic governance itself, as he said. And it was bizarre that this was one Project that an Assembly Committee, nine member CP Ahmed Committee, had unanimously recommended as illegal and unviable and hence to be dropped. More than six major laws are violated and the very government has consented to be a party to the crime, instead of enforcer of law.

When the Oommen Chandy government keeps reiterating that the early permissions for the airport were given by the former LDF government N K Premachandran, former minister and leader of the RSP, wanted things clarified and said we are five ministers in that ministry present here. The cabinet decision was one asking the company to seek its own lands within the laws of the land. But when they captured private lands with fraudulent records, when they encroached public lands and even filled a river the Collector of the district booked the offenders. Oommen Chandy, Chief Minister of Kerala, has summarily transferred the Collector the day the High Court asked the government to follow statutes, said Thomas Issac.   That the Union Minister of Defense A K Antony, whose ministry denied permission to the private airport for strategic reasons later had to swallow his own words point to the extra constitutional interference in the state apparatus and that will see anarchy tomorrow as they said.

The basics of a law abiding civilization have been violated as never before in history as speaker after speaker
narrated. No law permits killing of a river, there is open arrogance in violation. They showed apprehensions that the days ahead shall see anarchy and mayhem if people lose their belief in abiding the laws and Oommen Chandy and his people shall pay a very heavy price, the state apparatus shall fail. Baby felt surprised that the august office of the President of the Indian Union was penetrated by a nefarious private company, who addressing the joint houses of the Indian Parliament, had to highlight this obscure airport. It makes one fear about the sovereignty of this country under this government, he said. Mullakkara Ratnakaran, a core leader of the agitation at Aranmula said that his Party has all along stood by the movement against the airport and shall be in the fore front in future too. Aranmula shall decide tomorrow’s Kerala politics, he added. We cannot fail in Aranmula, if that happens it will be a failure for every Malayali, he added. 

Pannyan Ravindran, leader of the CPI also expressed similar sentiments as Ratnakaran and pledged to stand by in any eventuality. P C  Unnichekkan, Chief of the CPI – Marxist Leninist, took a dig at the current political scene and said, quoting the famous Malayalam poet Kunjunnimash, Thalastanathinte Thala Sthanathalla. That is the head of state and country are not where it ought to be. It was a literal metaphor and the Party was one which always spear headed the fight at Aranmula. Mathew T Thomas, leader of the Janatha Dal pointed to the unseen links of the company to the corridors of power in Delhi and the success of the vested interests in circumventing the laws of the land. Philippose Thomas, of the Congress, who went in to the details of the airport company acquiring lands said that the way land was captured at Aranmula violated all sense of justice, fraudulent documents were used to capture lands of the disadvantaged. He said that the claims that the airport company is making are all false. They don’t own so much lands, as claimed, whatever filled is taken back by the upright government officials, the government’s being manipulated to declare the area as Industrial will not help as a reversal shall need several statutes being amended what cannot be done in a state like Kerala.

As speaker after speaker aired alarm at the state, and the country, dishonoring laws and conventions  P
Gopalan Kutty Master, Chief of the RSS in the state, soft spoken and to the point said that this fight is for Dharma and it is Dharma that wins ultimately. The enemies may be powerful, they may win in small battles, but the ultimate victory shall be for Dharma. It is a human rights issue, survival issue at Aranmula and we shall stand by all those who fight for it, and pay any price till it is won, said Gopalan Kutty master. The struggle at Aranmula will not remain confined to Aranmula, Pathanamthitta, or even Kerala as he said, it is a national issue and the organization is geared up for the logical conclusion of the matter. Maleth Sarala Devi, a Congress leader and native of Aranmula said that she has to fetch drinking water from a kilometer away despite living on the banks of the river Pampa. Do we dishonor nature after learning lessons, she asked, she said that the prayers of those affected shall change the scene. Aranmula is sacred territory she said and thanked the fragile old mother Sugathakumari  for her leadership and direction. People of Aranmula are all with you, she told Sugathakumari.

Kummanam Rajasekharan, leader of the Paithruka Grama Karma Samithy, reiterated that the struggle against the airport at Aranmula is a Dharma Yudham, and the deity at Aranmula temple is Parthasarathy, of Mahabharatha war, who lead that in the epics. He reiterated that the Samithy will abide under people’s movement initiated by Sugathakumari and is fully equipped to face any misadventure of the government or the dubious forces that control it at present. There is no history where the Dharma Yudhas of people have failed, he added.  The Meeting was attended by a galaxy of leaders, hitherto not seen in Kerala, and this included new youth movements like Am Admi Party. The Meeting pledged that the movement will spread all over till the demands are met. Some of the major demands are, i, Withdraw the sanction accorded to the airport at Aranmula, ii, withdraw the Industrial Area declaration, iii, Restore the river and wetlands filled at Aranmula, iii, distribute the lands under dispute to landless poor, iv, give exemplary punishment to all those who violated the statutes of the land how so ever big they are, v, give state support to revive the wetlands and watersheds of the Pampa river. The Meeting decided to have unit level organizations all across and called on saner people wherever they are to join in.      

   

Friday, April 26, 2013

Aranmula, the Land of Festivals: Kurunthar Pathamudayam


Kurunthar is an islet village with vast areas of Puncha, paddy field wetlands, all around. It is  one of the abodes of the guarding hill deities of Aranmula temple. The Mahadeva temple, Goddess temple and the Malai mandapam at Kurunthar are deep inside a literal forest. It is a Sacred Grove, miniature forests conserved unmolested inside human habitations. It gets pretty cool in the evenings as the wetlands are repositories of ground water. The greenery of Kurunthar and Aranmula in general are island ecosystems, perhaps due to the values and population composition. There are plenty of fruit trees and plants. Elsewhere in the region the native biodiversity is hardly there, plantations of rubber, other exotics, spreading all over.   
Aringottu Kavu, Kurunthar, Aranmula

Come Malayalam month Medam, April, and it is festival time at the Kurunthar village. It is called  
Pathamudayam. The Kurunthar Malai, hill shrine, is linked to the Aranmula
temple and the guardian deity is believed to be linked to the South Gopuram of the temple.  It was part of the paddy harvest and the ripe grain was offered to the deity.  The paddy cultivation has severely reduced now, but the festival is timed just after the harvest season and this merry making time is the peak celebration for the agrarian people. Coming once a year it starts with Vishu, native New Year, it is also important from the agrarian calendar when the sun shifts its place as believed. It is a time when the wetlands are partly dry and there is amble space in the watery region.

The festivities start days before and they make oxen, huge ones at that, of paddy straw, which are carried around the village with great fanfare. It is also a show of stamina for the men, throwing around the huge logs. Different settlements make their own bulls, and all these converge at the shrine in the evening. Here in front of the temple they keep on playing with the huge bulls. The Gods are also taken around and they come around to see their people is the belief. The pageantry and the displays have a spirit of competition between each settlement, Karas, each one trying to outdo the other. This is similar to the boat races where again the competitive spirit is alive.

The pageantry has drummers, women and men, tableaus of gods, animals, and assorted variety and the procession is lead by girls with Talapoli, hand held oil lamps.  It is a time of gaiety and merry making and the people dress it their best, feast and play. The music and dance all throughout sees the young   and old in their best of spirits. The drummers sway in ecstasy and so do the youth who carry the heavy bulls. They make the oxen play, what is the term, when they make the huge bulls made of hay go up and down, tilt and rotate, it is a show of strength and agility. It used to be hand held, as old timers tell, a show of machismo as these
are huge and heavy. The play by Kurava community, Kuravar kali, was also once part of the shows, there are not many now left knowing this. The temple authorities are looking for Sidhanar, also called Kurava, community priests, and some diviners have also asked that the old priesthood be brought back. As the managing committee of the temple is looking for the traditional Kurava community priests, called Ooralis, who had Ooranma, the temple and willing to honor them, who deserve to be honored as the Brahmin priests, the social dynamics of the interim period is expected to see a change, also the ecosystem. Th Earthy Gods were angry for a while as it seems.   

Traditionally there are four Janmi families overseeing the rituals, three from the Nayar community, like Vadassery, Madambi, etc.  and one Ezhava, Madathithara.  The priests of the Sakteya rituals were from the Dalit Kurava community an dthey had titles called Panikken. Some of these were Kuzhikkala Panikken, Planeli Panikken etc. It was primarily the Dalit, first people, who were in charge of the hill rituals at the shrine but it seems they left the rituals, perhaps after having lost out in status at some point in time. Later phase saw a majority of them give up the rigorous rituals some taking to the Communist ideology. The agrarian relations were misrepresented by vested inetrests like missionaries and the pyramic failed, with it agrarian culture, economny and the ecosystem. Now it is mostly the Brahmin priests who mange the rituals and these are almost all Satvic. It used to be Sakteya, in tune with the life styles of majority people.  But there are efforts to bring back the old rituals, as local people tell.  The

The festivities at the Kurunthar Malai are enthralling and the music, color and gaiety of the occasion mesmerizing. It may sound bizarre but these are all areas reportedly meant to go under the runway of the proposed international airport, where they razed down adjoining hills and filled the wetlands and rivers. And for obvious reasons the people of Kurunthar are in the fore front of the agitation against the airport. They were also  the first to be affected as the early purchases were from the marginal farmers and agricultural labor here, some of the dalit people who lost their lands through forgery also live here. It is a vulpine mind that aims at erasing timeless heritages but then these are perhaps occasions where the Mother Nature sends messages, warnings, to behave.  


  

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

ആറന്മുള യിൽ ശകതിവാഹിനിയുടെ പൊങ്കാല, ഭൂമി വന്ദനം

ലോക ഭൗമദിനത്തില്‍ആറന്മുള െപെതൃകഗ്രാമ കര്‍മസമിതിയുടെ വനിതാ വിഭാഗമായ ശക്‌തിവാഹിനി ഭൂമിദേവിയ്‌ക്ക്‌ പൊങ്കാലയിട്ട്‌ പൃഥ്വി സൂക്‌തം ചൊല്ലി പ്രണാമമര്‍പ്പിച്ചു. െപെതൃകഗ്രാമമായ ആറന്മുള യജ്‌ഞശാലയായി മാറി. ആറന്മുളയിലെ നെല്‍വയലുകളും നീര്‍ച്ചാലും നീര്‍ത്തടവും കാവുകളും നശിപ്പിച്ചുകൊണ്ട്‌ നിര്‍മിക്കുന്ന വിമാനത്താവളത്തിനെതിരേകൂടിയായിരുന്നു ഭൗമദിനത്തില്‍ഈ പരിപാടി  സംഘടിപ്പിച്ചത്.  

രാവിലെ 8 ന്‌ പുത്തരിയാലിന്‍ ചുവട്ടില്‍ ഭൂമിദേവിയെ പ്രതിഷ്‌ഠിച്ച പുഷ്‌പാലംകൃതമായ മണ്‌ഡപത്തിനുമുമ്പില്‍ സ്‌ഥാപിച്ച പണ്ടാര അടുപ്പില്‍ ചക്കുളത്തുകാവ്‌ ദേവീക്ഷേത്ര മുഖ്യ കാര്യദര്‍ശി രാധാകൃഷ്‌ണന്‍ നമ്പൂതിരി അഗ്നി ജ്വലിപ്പിച്ചതോടെ ഭൗമദിനാഘോഷങ്ങള്‍ക്കു തുടക്കമായി. ഭൂമിദേവിയെ ദ്രോഹിക്കുന്നവര്‍ വരുംതലമുറയെ നശിപ്പിക്കുകയാണെന്നും ഭൂമിയൂടെ അനിയന്ത്രിതമായ പരിവര്‍ത്തനം സര്‍വനാശത്തിലേക്കുള്ള തുടക്കമാണെന്നും അദ്ദേഹം അഭിപ്രായപ്പെട്ടു.

തുടര്‍ന്ന്‌ വീഥിക്ക്‌ ഇരുവശങ്ങളിലായി അടുപ്പുകൂട്ടി കലംവച്ച്‌ കാത്തുനിന്ന വീട്ടമ്മമാര്‍ക്കു പൂജാരി ദുര്‍ഗാദാസിന്റെ

നേതൃത്വത്തില്‍ പണ്ടാര അടുപ്പില്‍നിന്നു പൊങ്കാലവിളക്കുകള്‍ ജ്വലിപ്പിച്ചുനല്‍കിയതോടെ ചടങ്ങുകള്‍ ആരംഭിച്ചു. പൃഥ്വി സൂക്‌തങ്ങള്‍ ചൊല്ലി പൊങ്കാല കലത്തില്‍ അരിയിട്ട്‌ ഭൂമിദേവിയ്‌ക്ക്‌ നിവേദ്യം സമര്‍പ്പിച്ചു. പൊങ്കാലക്കലങ്ങളില്‍ നിവേദ്യം തിളച്ചുപൊങ്ങിയപ്പോള്‍ തിങ്ങിനിറഞ്ഞുനിന്ന സ്‌ത്രീകള്‍ വായ്‌ക്കുരവയിട്ട്‌ ഭൂമിയെ സ്‌തുതിച്ചു. പുരോഹിതന്‍ പൊങ്കാല നിവേദ്യത്തില്‍ തീര്‍ഥം തളിച്ചതോടെ ചടങ്ങുകള്‍ സമാപിച്ചു. അതിനുശേഷം ഭക്ഷ്യ പ്രതിസന്ധിക്കും ജലക്ഷാമത്തിനും കാലാവസ്‌ഥ വ്യതിയാനത്തിനും ആഗോള താപനത്തിനും ഒരേയൊരു പ്രതിവിധി ഭൂമിയെ സംരക്ഷിക്കുക എന്നുള്ള സന്ദേശം പ്രചരിപ്പിക്കാന്‍ ഭൂമീവന്ദനം എന്ന പരിപാടി സംഘടിപ്പിച്ചു.

 ശക്‌തിവാഹിനി പ്രസിഡന്റ്‌ വിജയമ്മ എസ്‌. പിള്ള അധ്യക്ഷത വഹിച്ചു.ഭൂമിയുടെ സംരക്ഷണം മാത്രമാണ്‌ മാനവസമൂഹത്തിന്റെ നിലനില്‍പ്പിന്‌ ആധാരമെന്നും, അന്നവും വെള്ളവും ജീവനു നല്‍കി മാനവസമൂഹത്തെ രക്ഷിച്ചുപോരുന്ന ഭൂമിയെ അമ്മയായി കരുതി ആദരിക്കാനും ബഹുമാനിക്കാനും സമൂഹം തയാറാകണമെന്നും ഭൂമി വന്ദനം പരിപാടിയില്‍ മുഖ്യ പ്രഭാഷണം നടത്തിയ െപെതൃക കര്‍മ്മസമിതി രക്ഷാധികാരി കുമ്മനം രാജേശേഖരന്‍ അഭിപ്രായപ്പെട്ടു. മാലേത്ത്‌ സരളാദേവി, ശ്രീകുമാരി മോഹന്‍, ശാന്തി വിജയന്‍ നായര്‍, താരാ ഉണ്ണികൃഷ്‌ണന്‍എന്നിവര്‍ പ്രസംഗിച്ചു.  സൂര്യ എസ്‌. കുമാര്‍ ഭൂമി ഗീതാലാപനം നടത്തി.

തങ്ങള്‍ക്ക്‌ തലമുറകളായി ലഭിച്ച ആറന്മുളയിലെ ഭൂമി െകെയടക്കി പരിവര്‍ത്തനം ചെയ്യാന്‍ ഒരു ശക്‌തിയേയും അനുവദിക്കുകയില്ലെന്നും പ്രമാണിമാരുടെ വികലവികസനങ്ങള്‍ ഞങ്ങള്‍ക്ക്‌ ആവശ്യമില്ലെന്നും പുത്തരിയാലിനെ സാക്ഷിയാക്കി വീട്ടമ്മമാര്‍ ഭൂമിസംരക്ഷണ പ്രതിജ്‌ഞയെടുത്തു. മഹത്തായ കാര്‍ഷിക സംസ്‌കൃതിയുടെ തിരുശേഷിപ്പായ പുത്തരിയാലിനെ െപെതൃകസ്‌മാരകമായി പരിരക്ഷിക്കുവാന്‍ കര്‍മ്മപദ്ധതി തയാറാക്കണമെന്നും യോഗം ആവശ്യപ്പെട്ടു. ശക്തി വാഹിനി യുടെ ആഭിമുഖ്യത്തിൽ വിവിധ സ്ത്രീ ശാകതീ കരണ  പരിപാടികൾ  തുടർന്ന് നടത്തുവാൻ തീരുമാനിച്ചു.  

പൊങ്കാലയ്‌ക്കും ഭൂമിവന്ദനം പരിപാടികള്‍ക്കും കര്‍മ്മസമിതി സംസ്‌ഥാന സംയോജകന്‍ കെ. കൃഷ്‌ണന്‍കുട്ടി, കര്‍മ്മസമിതി ഭാരവാഹികളായ പി. ഇന്ദുചൂഡന്‍, പി. ആര്‍. ഷാജി, ജി. നരേഷ്‌, എന്‍.കെ. നന്ദകുമാര്‍, എന്‍.ജി. ഉണ്ണികൃഷ്‌ണന്‍, പ്രദീപ്‌ അയിരൂര്‍, കെ.ജി. സുരേഷ്‌, കെ.എം. ഭൂവനചന്ദ്രന്‍ കെ.എ. വിജയകുമാര്‍ എന്നിവര്‍ നേതൃത്വം നല്‍കി.

ഫോട്ടോകൾ കടപ്പാട്: ശ്രീരംഗനാഥൻ കെ  പി , ആറന്മുള 

Aranmula: Women Offer Prayers and Ponkala on Earth Day


Mother Earth, We are Indebted to You for all that We have, We Bow to You, sang Surya Kumar an young girl. It was an unusual celebration of the Earth Day 2013 at Aranmula, when women in their hundreds offered
Maleth Sarala Devi, former MLA, at the Ponkala
Ponkala, a ceremonial sweet rice dish cooked and offered to the Goddess Earth. The chant was from Atharva Veda, one of the four Vedas, from the many chants prpitiating Goddess Earth called Bhoomi Suktam. It prays for all, beyond caste, creed or nation. Millenniums old Vedas, just as the folk traditions of India have built in safe guards to protect Mother Earth, what through time became part of the culture. But this got eroded in the recent past, here was an effort to restore the sacred traditions.

Lined on both sides of the road in their white sarees and salwars they prayed, that Mother Earth bestow strength, that Mother Earth is protected, healed, that everyone lives in harmony, Loka Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu. It was near the Puthariyal, in front of the Sree Parthasaradhy Temple at Aranmula, that this unique Earth Day celebration was organized. it was a scene of grace and with the boiling Ponkala in the earthen pots, with rice and raw sugar in the make shift hearths, their spirits swelled.

Under the auspices of Sakti Vahini, women’s wing of the Aranmula Paithruka Grama Karma Samithy, the
event drew great attention and it was also a day of joining a global collective, of saner minds. The ritual was inaugurated by, as is customary, the head priest of the famous Chakkulath Kavu Goddess temple, Radhakrishnan Namboodiri. After due rituals of Ponkala fire was lighted from a sacred lamp and the male volunteers brought the fire and materials to the women.

Ponkala, also called Pongal in Tamil, is a popular ritual in south India where the post harvest village community offers this thanks giving ceremony to Mother Goddess. It is normally done at homes, in the early mornings and the rituals were
traditionally done by women themselves, their becoming priests for the day, but with the decline in paddy cultivation and shift to urbanization this has given way to Ponkala at temples. This is also done at night on full moon days.
The Ponkala, which was also in the backdrop of the protests against an airport project that is to damage the delicate wetland ecosystem and heritage of the area, was followed by a meeting where the participating womenfolk asserted their rights over natural resources and pledged that they shall pay any price to protect the ecosystem. The meeting was addressed by eminent women of the area and the leaders of the Paithruka Grama Karma Samithy. All of them reiterated that their resolve to oppose the planned airport which is to damage the water availability and heritage of the region.
The meeting was chaired by Vijayamma S Pillai, President of Sakti Vahini. Maleth Sarala Devi, Sreekumari
Mohan, Santhi Vijayan Nair, Thara Unnikrishnan, and others spoke. Kummanam Rajasekharan, Patron of the Paithruka Grama Karma Samithy, elaborated on the traditions of conserving nature as Mother innate to Indian culture. Pointing to the place of honor that women had in India and their role in nature conservation Kummanam called on the womenfolk to take up the challenges. Threat to nature is also threat to women as Sreekumari Mohan said, for it is women who shall have to struggle when scarcity of water and essential food are affected. The Ponkala offering was part of the various empowerment programs and campaigns planned by Sakti Vahini.   

Photos Courtesy: Sreerenganathan KP  
          

Friday, April 19, 2013

Honoring the Banyan Tree: A Befitting World Heritage Day at Aranmula


It was a solemn occasion where the Saints and people assembled offered floral tributes to an ages old Banyan tree. It was also 18 April, the World Heritage Day declared by the UNESCO. This is a grandfather tree, fondly called Puthariyal, that has stood witness to a bygone era of agrarian glory, environmental sanity. At the premises of the Lord Krishna temple at Aranmula, Kerala, the saffron clad Sages from various Ashrams also put a garland to the tree.  Poet and activist Sugathakumari gave a pledge that everyone repeated, that each one shall pay any price to protect the heritage and nature of the land. Together they lighted the lamp for a new beginning where the symbiotic culture is trying to have a comeback.

 It is a tree where the first harvest of paddy, Puthari,  was bought by farmers and offered to the Lord. A share of the harvested paddy was also deposited at the temple which routinely fed the ascetics, poor and needy. It came handy also in times of crisis. The
temple centred rice culture was linked for every agricultural operation, from planting to harvesting and the deity was also the owner, the farmers just the custodians. This concept of Kerala, most of India, changed later during the colonial phase when land became private property. And through time agricultural land has come to be real estate, just meant for trading. The food self dependent social order slowly vanished in Kerala with the drift in beliefs, values and land ownership. At Aranmula the old paradigm is staging a comeback, the trigger came from an insane idea of an international airport which was to displace the people and erase the famous heritage village.  Started initially by a Pentecost Church supported group, Mt. Zion, the metamorphosis of the project saw many milestones, where the international church links, political clout and the huge capital that it holds were freely used. Later a Company came on the scene. But the people withstood the pressure and the celebration was also part of the agitation, that the saner people of the world comes together.

Once with vast expanse of paddy fields, locally called Puncha, the agrarian ecosystem has since then faced ruin. And so did the value system and the ritual was an effort to say it loud, that the symbiotic cultures are crucial, in the mad rush to ‘develop’ people forgot what they were losing. This till Nature reacted, with drinking water shortages, unbearable heat and warming, loss of food base and general morbidity. Aranmula region once with an abundance of water is now facing hardships for drinking water, the perennial river Pampa, very crucial to the region and held in great esteem, is also a tragic scene now. With damming in the upper reaches, sand mining, deforestation and quarrying the river is an apology for its old self. It was when the whole ecosystem was on a precipice that the profit driven lobby came forward to fill all the wetlands and river tributaries of the area, pushing the survival systems to a break down.

The three day Upavasa Nama Sankeerthanam started with house to house visits by the Saints in the region, later organizing family get togethers and culminating on 18 April, which was also the World Heritage Day, in a prayer and day long fasting program at the temple premises. The day long fasting and prayers, Upavasa Nama Japam, was to kindle the spirit of eco-conservation and a pleading for honoring the eco-friendly native culture. It has been a historic phase in the immediate past of condemning the native beliefs and rituals that are intricately linked to ecological balance in the region after the colonial phase. The paradigm had components like preservation of wilderness in human habitations, called Sacred Groves, honoring important tree species, showing respect to life giving river and water bodies, honoring animals and plants. What has laed to enormous damage to the ecosystem and people.

Swami Prajnananda Theerthapadar, present Paramacharya of the Theerthapada Parampara and Head of the Theerthapadasramam, Vazhoor,  inaugurated the event with the lighting of the lamp. Dharma cannot be defeated by money power, organizational power or political power, said the Swami. Mother Nature in Aranmula is facing an onslaught of illegal attacks, it is the vulpine lobbies of consumerism that are reaching out to the last oasis of health and that must not be permitted, said Poet Sugathakumari. The icon of nature lovers in Kerala Sugathakumari  gave the Nature and Heritage Conservation Pledge. Swami Golokanandaji Maharaj, Head of the Sri Ramanandasram, Thiruvalla,  chaired the meet. State Chief of the Chinmaya Mission Swami Viviktananda Saraswathi together with the other Saints and people garlanded the
Puthariyal, Banyan tree, and highlighted the rich elements of the heritage. Swami Sukruthananda of the Sivagiri Muth, did the Arti of the tree.  Around hundred Saints from various Ashrams and Sampradayams from across Kerala and Tamilnadu participated. The Saints were welcomed with the Vanchipattu, a boat song tradition of chorus here of the riverine culture, and Vaykkurava, a native tradition, by the women folk.  Kummanam Rajasekharan, Patron of the Paithruka Grama Samithy gave a brief description of the scenario evolving and the Saints regretted that the great traditions of communal amity and tolerance that the native culture showed are being misused.

More than a hundred senior Saints including Swami Brahmapadananda (Chenkottukonam), Swami
Viswaroopananda (Kozhikkode), Swami Satchidananda (Thodupuzha), Swami Gangesananda (Panmana), Swami Ranganathananda (Nedumangad), Swami Satswaroopananda (Erumeli), Swami Krishnananda Giri (Aluva), Swami Atmananda Giri (Nandiyode), Swami Balananda (Vadakkancherry), Mathaji Ananda Meera, Swami Sankarananda, Swami Abhayananda Theerthapadar, Swami Kailasanathananda, and others participated in the programs.  Eminent environmentalists and other leaders also participated in the three day long programs. K Krishnan Kutty, State Coordinator of the movement, V K Viswanathan of Dharma Jagaran, Janardanaan Nair, of Swadeshi Jagran Manch, K Haridas, President of the Paithruka Samithy, P Induchoodan, of the Palliyoda Samithy, and environmentalists like Sreerenganathan, Pradeep Ayroor, leaders of the Paithruka Karma Samithy P R Shaji, S. Hari, K G Suresh, N K Nandakumar, Kurunthar Uthaman and others participated in the event together with large number of local people.      

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Aranmula Agitation: Nalvazhi Oru Chitrakazhcha


Deepayanam Program, Light from the Temple taken to all 52 Karas with Palliyodams  
Protest March at Aranmula, P Prasad, CPI  Addressing
Deepayanam, Aisha Potti, CPM, MLA honoring Karanathans of Aranmula
Protest March at Aranmula
Fr. Thomas Peeliyanikkal Addressing, Padayatris, Kuzhikkala, Aranmula

March to State Assembly, Thiruvananthapuram
Assembly March, Mullakkara Ratnakaran, CPI, MLA, Addressing

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

വിമാനത്താവള കമ്പനിയില്‍ ഓഹരി: മുഖ്യമന്ത്രിയെ പ്രതിചേര്‍ത്ത്‌ അന്വേഷണം ആവശ്യപ്പെട്ടു


ആറന്മുള വിമാനത്താവള കമ്പനിയില്‍ 10 ശതമാനം ഓഹരി എടുക്കാന്‍ മന്ത്രിസഭ തീരുമാനിച്ചതില്‍ ക്രമക്കേടുണ്ടെന്നും മുഖ്യമന്ത്രിയെ പ്രതിചേര്‍ത്ത്‌ അന്വേഷണം നടത്തണമെന്നും ആവശ്യപ്പെട്ട്‌ വിജിലന്‍സ്‌ ഡിെവെ.എസ്‌.പി. ജഗദീഷ്‌ മുമ്പാകെ പരാതിക്കാരനായ ആറന്മുള െപെതൃക ഗ്രാമ കര്‍മ്മസമിതി രക്ഷാധികാരി കുമ്മനം രാജശേഖരന്‍ മൊഴി നല്‍കി.

ആറന്മുള വിമാനത്താവള നിര്‍മാണത്തിലെക്രമക്കേട്‌ സംബന്ധിച്ച്‌ കോട്ടയം വിജിലന്‍സ്‌ കോടതി മുമ്പാകെ ഫയല്‍ ചെയ്‌തിട്ടുള്ള കേസ്‌ രജിസ്‌റ്റര്‍ ചെയ്‌ത്‌ അന്വേഷിക്കുന്നതിന്റെ ഭാഗമായിട്ടാണ്‌ ഡിെവെ.എസ്‌.പി. മൊഴി രേഖപ്പെടുത്തിയത്‌....

2004 മുതല്‍ നാളിതുവരെ നിയമ ലംഘനങ്ങളും ക്രമക്കേടുകളും അഴിമതിയും നടന്നതിനാലാണ്‌ അനര്‍ഹമായി ഭൂമി വാങ്ങാനും പേരില്‍കൂട്ടാനും വിമാനത്താവള കമ്പനിക്ക്‌ കഴിഞ്ഞതെന്ന്‌ കുമ്മനം രാജശേഖരന്‍ മൊഴിയില്‍ ചൂണ്ടിക്കാട്ടി. 

യാതൊരുവിധ കീഴ്‌വഴക്കങ്ങളും പാലിക്കാതെ പണത്തിന്റെയും അധികാരത്തിന്റെയും സ്വാധീനത്തിലൂടെയാണ്‌ സര്‍ക്കാരിന്റെ ഉത്തരവുകളും ക്ലിയറന്‍സ്‌ സര്‍ട്ടിഫിക്കേറ്റുകളും ഒന്നിനുപിറകേ ഒന്നായി കമ്പനി സമ്പാദിച്ചത്‌. ഏതു പ്രോജക്‌ടിനും അടിസ്‌ഥാനപരമായി ഉണ്ടാകേണ്ട പാരിസ്‌ഥിതികാനുമതി നാളിതുവരെ ഹാജരാക്കാന്‍ കഴിയാത്ത കമ്പനിക്ക്‌ സര്‍ക്കാരിന്റെ വിവിധ ഡിപാര്‍ട്ടുമെന്റുകള്‍ കണ്ണടച്ച്‌ അനുമതി നല്‍കിയതിനു പിന്നില്‍ വന്‍ അഴിമതി നടന്നിട്ടുണ്ടെന്നും തെറ്റായ വിവരങ്ങള്‍ നല്‍കി അവിഹിത മാര്‍ഗങ്ങളിലൂടെ അനുമതി നേടാന്‍ കമ്പനി നടത്തിയ എല്ലാ ശ്രമങ്ങളും അന്വേഷണ വിധേയമാക്കണമെന്നും കുമ്മനം രാജശേഖരന്‍ ആവശ്യപ്പെട്ടു.

Sages Start House to House Campaign

As part of the movement against the proposed airport project at Aranmula the various ashrams across Kerala have come forward to take the responsibility of protecting the Dharma. Sages from various Ashrams, Sampradayas  and from different parts of the state have converged at Aranmula for the three day house visit and Upavasa Prarthana. The three day program starting from 16 April 2013 shall see a major congregation of Saints and devotees taking part in the Upavasa Nama Japa Yagnam on the 18 of April 2013 at the Sree Parthasarathy Temple at Aranumla. The teams of Sages with Acharyas, and volunteers have started visiting each house in the region. Initially ten Panchayats are being covered where the Sanyasis meet and interact with the householders. They are also organizing neighborhood meetings, family get togethers, and providing basic spiritual guidance.  

This is for the first time that the Sanyasis of the various Sampradayas and Ashrams have come together and are going to the householders and this shall in time spread all over the state, said Kummanam Rajasekharan, Patron the Paithruka Grama Karma Samithy.  Aranmula shall be the spring board of a Hindu awakening across Kerala and this movement shall be spreading all over Kerala, added the Saints taking part in the movement. The fight to protect the survival systems is primary and we have to take the responsibility of protecting beliefs and the culture that kept the nature healthy for generations.

The community is thrilled about the Sanyasis coming to their houses and a rich welcome is being given across the villages. This should have been happening much before, said Appukuttan, a resident of Naranganam. Alien models and vested interests cannot be allowed to erode the foundations of this land, said an Acharya in the team. Each one has a duty here. This sacred place cannot be allowed to be subjected to vandalism by any evil forces. They called on the various Ashrams and Saints to join the movement and also the devotees to attend the event in large numbers.


Sunday, April 7, 2013

ആറന്മുള: വയല്‍നികത്തിയകേസ്സില്‍വിജിലന്‍സ് അന്വേഷണം

ആറന്മുള വിമാനത്താവളത്തിനായി അനധികൃതമായി വയല്‍നികത്തിയകേസ്സില്‍ അടൂര്‍ ആര്‍.ഡി.ഒ.യും വില്ലേജ്, താലൂക്ക് ഓഫീസര്‍മാരും ഉള്‍പ്പെടെ പതിമൂന്നുപേര്‍ പ്രതികള്‍. അനധികൃതമായി വയല്‍ നികത്താന്‍ കൂട്ടുനിന്ന ഉദ്യേഗസ്ഥരുള്‍പ്പെടെയുള്ളവരെ പ്രതിചേര്‍ത്ത് വിജിലന്‍സ് അന്വേഷണം ആരംഭിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്. പത്തനംതിട്ട വിജിലന്‍സ് ആന്‍ഡ് ആന്റി കറപ്ഷന്‍ ബ്യൂറോ ഡിവൈ.എസ്.പി. പി.കെ.ജഗദീഷ് കോട്ടയം വിജിലന്‍സ് കോടതിയില്‍ എഫ്.ഐ.ആര്‍. സമര്‍പ്പിച്ചു. പദ്ധതിപ്രദേശത്ത്‌വരുന്ന ആറന്മുള, മല്ലപ്പുഴശ്ശേരി, കിടങ്ങന്നൂര്‍ എന്നീ വില്ലേജുകളിലെ 2008 മുതലുള്ള ലാന്‍ഡ് ബോര്‍ഡ് ചെയര്‍മാന്‍മാരാണ് ഒന്നാം പ്രതിസ്ഥാനത്തുള്ളത്.

പത്തനംതിട്ട മൈനര്‍ ഇറിഗേഷന്‍ എക്‌സിക്യൂട്ടീവ് എന്‍ജിനിയര്‍, 2008ലെ കോഴഞ്ചേരിയിലെ താലൂക്ക് ലാന്‍ഡ് ബോര്‍ഡ ്‌ചെയര്‍മാന്‍, 2008 സപ്തംബര്‍ 15മുതല്‍ 2012 ഏപ്രില്‍ മൂന്നുവരെയുള്ള  കോഴഞ്ചേരി താലൂക്ക് സര്‍വേയര്‍, 2008 മുതല്‍ 2012 വരെയുള്ള കോഴഞ്ചേരി അഡീഷണല്‍ തഹസില്‍ദാര്‍, തഹസില്‍ദാര്‍, അടൂര്‍ ആര്‍.ഡി.ഒ, ആറന്‍മുള ഏവിയേഷന്‍ ലിമിറ്റഡ് ചെയര്‍മാന്‍ കെ.കെ.ജോസ്, ഡയറക്ടര്‍ കാലാമണ്ണില്‍ എബ്രഹാം ജോസ്, കെ.ജി.എസ്. ഗ്രൂപ്പ് ചീഫ് ഓപ്പറേറ്റിങ് ഓഫീസര്‍ ഡോ. ടി.നന്ദകുമാര്‍, ഡയറക്ടര്‍ബോര്‍ഡംഗങ്ങള്‍, മൗണ്ട് സിയോന്‍ എയര്‍പോര്‍ട്ട് സര്‍വീസ് ഡയറക്ടര്‍ബോര്‍ഡ് അംഗങ്ങള്‍, അനധികൃതമായി വയല്‍നികത്താന്‍കൂട്ടുനിന്ന സര്‍ക്കാര്‍, അര്‍ദ്ധസര്‍ക്കാര്‍ സ്ഥാപനങ്ങളിലെ മറ്റ് ഉദ്യോഗസ്ഥര്‍ എന്നിവരാണ് പ്രതികള്‍.

എഫ്.ഐ.ആര്‍.പ്രകാരം ഗൂഢാലോചനയില്‍ പങ്കെടുത്ത സര്‍ക്കാര്‍ ജീവനക്കാരുള്‍പ്പെടെയുള്ളവരെല്ലാം പ്രതിപ്പട്ടികയില്‍ വരും. അനധികൃത നെല്‍വയല്‍ നികത്തലില്‍ ജീവനക്കാരും പങ്കാളികളായിട്ടുണ്ടെന്നാരോപിച്ച് ഹിന്ദുഐക്യവേദി ജനറല്‍സെക്രട്ടറി കുമ്മനം രാജശേഖരനാണ് വിജിലന്‍സില്‍ പരാതി സമര്‍പ്പിച്ചത്. പരാതിയുടെ അടിസ്ഥാനത്തില്‍ കോട്ടയം വിജിലന്‍സ് കോടതി ജഡ്ജി എസ്.സോമനാണ് 
കേസ്സെടുക്കാന്‍ ഉത്തരവിട്ടത്. ഹര്‍ജിക്കാരനുവേണ്ടി അഡ്വ. അനില്‍ ഐക്കര, അഡ്വ. വി.എസ്.രാജന്‍ എന്നിവര്‍ ഹാജരായി.

Friday, April 5, 2013

Green tribunal stays and vacates airport work


Green tribunal stays airport work


Report Source:
The National Green Tribunal, Southern Bench, on Tuesday stayed all activities related to the construction of a greenfield airport at Aranmula until further orders.

The tribunal also stayed a Kerala government notification converting 500 acres of wetland into industrial land in Pathanamthitta district and barred other connected activities of KGS Aranmula International Airport Ltd. It granted an interim injunction restraining the private company from proceeding with further construction on the land in question.

The Bench, comprising judicial member Justice M. Chockalingam and expert member R. Nagendran, admitted an application filed by the Aranmula Heritage Village Protection Action Council challenging a Kerala government order granting in-principle sanction in 2010 for the proposed airport and a subsequent notification in 2011. In an application filed through counsel Ramesh Kumar Chopra, the Aranmula council said the government’s action allowing the private airport violated provisions of the Kerala Conservation of Paddy and Wetland Act, 2008 and other laws. It sought a direction against constructing the airport at Aranmula on wetland and paddy field and to retake the excess land from the company by invoking provisions of the Kerala Land Reforms Act.

“In view of the policy decision of the Union government, no greenfield airport can be constructed or operated within a prohibited aerial distance of 150 km from an existing civilian airport without prior permission. In the absence of any special permission from the Union government, the company has no right to proceed with the construction,” the applicant said.

When the matter came up for hearing, Era Meiyappan, counsel for the applicant, submitted that the private company had purchased the property, including paddy fields, wetlands, and trees. They diverted a watercourse that runs into the Pampa and also converted all paddy fields for the construction of the airport. “The construction activity is detrimental to ecology and environment. If it is not stopped, it will cause huge environment impact,” the counsel contended.

After hearing the counsel’s submission, the tribunal said it was satisfied that the petitioner had made a prima facie case for grant of interim stay.

Posting the matter to April 30, the tribunal ordered issue of notices to the Union and State governments. for replies.

Other Links:
http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/news/green-tribunal-stays-airport-work


Green tribunal dismisses petition against Aranmula airport



http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Green-tribunal-dismisses-petition-against-Aranmula-airport/articleshow/19803432.cms
CHENNAI: The proposed KGS Aranmula International Airport in Pathanamthitta district in Kerala got a reprieve on Tuesday when the National Green Tribunal, Chennai Bench, dismissed a petition that challenged the project. 

The petitioner had challenged the notification of the proposed airport site as an industrial belt and the no-objection certificate given by the state government for the project. 

The present order also sets aside the interim order passed by the bench two weeks ago. In the interim order, the bench had stayed construction at the site. 

The verdict is expected to speed up the project, which is the biggest infrastructure project in central Kerala in several decades. 

The Rs 2,000 crore airport is promoted by Chennai-based KGS Group which has interests in diversified fields including real estate, infrastructure, paper and engineering. The Kerala government has a 10% equity stake in the airport project. 

"We always knew that the Green Tribunal's verdict will be favourable to us because we have not violated any norms laid down by any authority. The dismissal of the petition by the tribunal will help the company speed up work on the project. We will now go forward 

with the project, with the co-operation of the people of Aranmula and Pathanamthitta district in particular, the state government, and all the stake holders," said Gigi George, managing director of KGS Aranmula International Airport. 

The airport is expected to benefit not only the large number of NRIs from central Kerala, but also the pilgrims going to the Sabarimala temple. The economic benefits of the airport will be realized by Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Alappuzha and Kollam districts. The tourism sector will also get a major boost because of the airport, given the fact 

that the backwaters of Alappuzha, Kumarakom and Thekkady are all within close proximity of the proposed airport.



Decks cleared for Aranmula Airport as NGT vacates stay

01st May 2013 08:13 AM
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Tuesday disposed of a case related to the Aranmula greenfield airport after the applications were withdrawn by the appellants.
The case had caused quite a stir in Kerala when the southern bench comprising judicial member Justice M Chockalingam and expert member Professor R Nagendran granted an interim stay on the construction of the airport on April 2. It had also stayed a Kerala government notification converting 500 acres of wetland into industrial land in Pathanamthitta district for this purpose.
When the matter came up for hearing on Tuesday, Advocate General (AG) of Kerala, K P Dandapani, vehemently argued on behalf of the government for the vacation of the stay orders.
The AG said three important points were crucial for the case: the application was barred by limitation; there was lack of jurisdiction as far as the NGT was concerned; material facts were suppressed by the applicants including the pendency of a writ petition of the same matter before the Kerala High Court.
At this juncture, counsel for the applicants (Aranmula Heritage Village Protection Action Council) requested the bench for permission to withdraw the application and come before it with a fresh one. This was accepted by the Tribunal.
“After hearing counsel and looking into the materials placed before the Tribunal, it would suffice to give permission to the applicant to withdraw the application. Accordingly, the application is disposed of as withdrawn,” the bench said in its order.
This meant the stay on the airport construction, which was awarded based on the disposed application, stood automatically  vacated.
Also, taking into consideration the fact that Advocate General  and other counsel came all the way from Kerala for the purpose of attending to this case, the National Green Tribunal awarded a cost of `25000 payable to the respondents by the applicant side.