Wednesday, November 29 2006
NEW INDIAN EXPRESS
CUDDALORE: A five-day cycle rally aimed at creating awareness on environmental issues was flagged off here on Tuesday.
The participants will cover Cuddalore, Villupuram, Kancheepuram, Puducherry and Chennai districts.
President of Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam Kolathur Mani and chairman, District Environmental Protection Organisation for Right Tackling, M Nizamudeen flagged off the rally.
The participants will create an awareness among the people on the threats faced by people due to the establishment of industries of various kinds at the SIPCOT.
With the decks being cleared for the setting up of a mega PVC plant, marine terminal, desalination plant, coal-fired thermal power plant and a textile park in SIPCOT, the forum feared that the industries would pose a threat to the environment and marine life.
Members of the SIPCOT Area Community Environmental Monitoring Group, West Konur FarmersÂ’ Welfare Association, Manali Youth Exnora, Kattukuppam Civic Exnora, Meenavar Viduthalai Vengaikal, Tamil Nadu Meenavar Munnetra Sangam and South India Meenavar Welfare Association, are among the participants.
Besides creating awareness, the group would also screen films on environmental protection at Chithraipettai, Periyapattu, Thyagavalli, Puducherry, Tindivanam, Chengalpattu and Besant Nagar.