THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Former Ports Minister M. Vijayakumar has alleged foul play involving the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) against the Vizhinjam international container trans-shipment project.

In a statement here on Sunday, Mr. Vijayakumar termed Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh's statement that the Vizhinjam project would soon be given environmental clearance a ‘blatant lie.' The Union Minister had given the assurance to Chief Minister Oommen Chandy when he called on him in New Delhi. However, available evidence showed that a ‘serious conspiracy' was on against the Vizhinjam project.

The most important of these, Mr. Vijayakumar said, was the minutes of the 100 {+t} {+h} meeting of the Expert Appraisal Committee under the Ministry of Environment and Forests held on May 11 and 12. The minutes, published on Saturday, showed that the committee had once again decided not to consider the terms of reference for environmental clearance for the Vizhinjam project submitted to it.

The 95 {+t} {+h} meeting of the committee had earlier rejected the terms of reference that there was no rationale for a container terminal at Vizhinjam as there were other ports such as Chennai, Tuticorin, Vallarpadom, and Colachal nearby.

The additional reason given by the 100 {+t} {+h} meeting for not considering the terms of reference granting environmental clearance for the project was that the Vizhinjam terminal was proposed to be set up very close to the existing harbour. .