[Reader-list] People’s Assembly to be held on Saturday, Sunday

[T Peter]

People’s Assembly to be held on Saturday, Sunday

By Express News Service -
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:

12th July 2012

Representatives of various people’s  movements in the state will meet
here to attend a People’s Assembly to make creative involvement in the
decision making process of the state. People’s Assembly, to be held at
the VJT Hall on Saturday and Sunday, is being organised by the
National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), members of the NAPM
informed at a press meet here on Tuesday.

Leader of Opposition V S Achuthanandan will  inaugurate the session on
‘Politics, Corruption, Violence, Communalism, Commercialisation and
Election reforms’.  Social activist Medha Patkar will deliver the
presidential address. Mediaperson B R P  Bhaskar will preside over.
Sugathakumari, Benoy Viswam, V T Balram, K Ajitha, C R Neelakandan,
John Joseph, Jairaj Kaimal among others will attend the session, which
will begin at 10 a m.

On Saturday, Medha Patkar will talk on ‘Why People’s Assembly’.
Session 1, which will begin at 11 a m on Saturday, will discuss
‘Mining, Use of Natural Resources and Ownership’. C R Neelakandan,
Venugopal, M Geethanandan, Laha Gopalan, Razak Paleri and Isabin Abdul
 Karim will lead the discussion. The panelists will introduce a Bill
or resolution on Forest Bill, Munnar land issue, Aranmula airport
issue, free trade contract, quarry, clay mining at Vilachikala, land
agitation at  Kinaloor, Attapadi and Moolampally, mining of mineral
beach-sand,Vizhinjam port etc

Session II at 2 p m will discuss about ‘Development, Urbanisation,
Industries, Tourism and Pollution’. Vijayaraghavan Cheliya will
moderate the session to be attended by K Venu, M P Parameshwaran, Fr
Prasanth Palakapilly and George Jacob. Burhan from Vilappilsala, C P
Jose from Lalur, George C F from Chakkamkandam, Guruvayoor,Asokan from
Sarvodayapuram, Rajeevan from Pettipalam/ Chelora in Thalaserry and
Purushan Eloor from Eloor will discuss on agitations against solid
waste management.

Session III will be a discussion on ‘Energy, Transport, Health,
Education and Employment’. Dr A Latha, S P Ravi, Geroge Pulikuthiyil,
K Ramachandran, among others will discuss the topic. Issues such as
Koodankulam nuclear plant, Athirappally agitation, anti-toll strike,
domestic works, nurses’ strike etc will be discussed at this session.

‘Agriculture, Biodiversity and Water’ will be the topic for session
IV. Dr V S Vijayan, S Usha, S Faisy, Sunny Paikada and R Sreedharan
(moderator) will lead the discussion. Bill or resolution of issues
such as anti-endosulfan strike, Plachimada cola agitation,
Mullaperiyar agitation, etc will be introduced at this session.

C R Neelakandan, Giyo Jose, P T A Hussain and T Peter attended the press meet.