The escalating protests in Cheemeni, Kerala, regarding a project to extract over 30 million liters of water daily from the Karyankode river have raised a much bigger question at what point does development become a threat to its own beneficiaries?
For the local population, the matter is not just one of a water-for-drinking scheme but about the future of the river, the ecology of the area and the rights of those communities whose survival depends on the waters of the river. A project that involves such a high amount of daily extraction must respond to many fundamental queries of sustainability, replenishment of groundwater, flow of the river in different seasons, etc.
Here is where the BJP-led Central government has to answer some difficult questions. India cannot develop its country while considering environmental concerns and community objections as an impediment. When the Centre wishes to undertake big infrastructure projects in various states, where is the greater system to make sure that nature and people are safe?
What needs to be questioned is if the governments are really ready to practice responsible development instead of development at all costs. It goes without saying that provision of drinking water is vital; however, millions of liters extracted from the river on a daily basis should definitely be backed by legitimate environmental measures and consultations.
The Karyankode River is a part of the ecosystem and the community, not only of the proposed project.
The Modi government and concerned authorities have to make sure that the water security of Kerala, as well as the environmental and people’s concerns, are not neglected for the sake of development.
