Kerala govt urged to withdraw budget proposals on liquor, sand mining

T’puram: Former KPCC president V M Sudheeran has urged chief minister V D Satheesan to withdraw budget proposals aimed at promoting the sale of low-alcohol content beverages and opening the mineral sand sector to private investment, saying they contradict UDF’s election promises and threaten public interests.In a letter to the CM on Sunday, Sudheeran said the proposal to encourage the sale of low-alcoholic drinks runs counter to UDF manifesto’s promise to bring in strong and effective policies to free Kerala from the menace of substance abuse.Citing the position of World Health Organization that no form of alcohol consumption is completely safe, Sudheeran said promoting any type of alcoholic beverage would be detrimental and amount to a breach of the promises made to the people.

He demanded that the proposal be withdrawn and called for the formulation of a comprehensive, people-centric liquor policy to address the social problems arising from the previous govt’s liquor policy.Sudheeran also strongly opposed the budget proposal allowing private investment in the mineral sand sector, saying it has created anxiety among coastal residents in Alappuzha. He said previous attempts to introduce a private mineral sand project were met with stiff opposition, including a human chain organized from Valiyazheekal to Alappuzha in 2003.

He said coastal communities are currently agitating against mineral sand mining at Thottappally, which was initiated under the previous govt through public sector undertakings. Referring to a recent court directive, Sudheeran said mining activities have been halted pending a comprehensive study by an expert committee.However, he alleged that the committee constituted in accordance with the court order favours the interests of the mineral sand lobby and demanded that it be reconstituted with independent experts.Sudheeran further called for the cancellation of all govt orders permitting mineral sand mining at Thottappally, alleging that the project served the interests of private mining companies rather than addressing flooding issues in Kuttanad. He urged the govt not to take any steps that would facilitate private mineral sand mining along the Alappuzha coast and appealed for the withdrawal of the budget proposal.