Decrying indiscriminate use of natural resources and deforestation in the name of growth, Union Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan today said that industries and corporates should focus on protecting the environment and ensure balanced and sustained development.

"...There are some industries, which feel that we should indiscriminately use natural resources, cut down our forests and use them for growth," she told reporters here on the sidelines of the annual general meeting of the Indian Plywood Industries Research and Training Institute, an autonomous body under the union ministry of environment.

People affected by pollution from small-scale plywood industries in Perumbavoor have declared a war of sorts.

After petitions and rallies failed to evoke the desired result the residents formed a samithi and started a satyagraha in the true Gandhian way, about two months ago. At present, one of their representatives is on a ‘fast unto death’ in front of the collectorate. The core issue is that the industrial units are scattered around residential areas. They spew fumes into the air that settle down in the wells nearby. The fumes also cause suffocation. Water bodies are polluted when untreated effluents from many units are discharged into them.

The Indian plywood industry has estimated annual revenues of Rs 25,000-30,000 cr, and is dominated by unorganised players

The Pollution Control Board is making arrangements to install gadgets to assess environmental pollution in Vengola panchayat in Ernakulam district.

The initiative is being taken in accordance with a Supreme Court directive to assess the pollution levels in the area. T. K. Kurien, a resident of the area, had approached the apex court, seeking relocation of plywood manufacturing units from the residential area. Mr. Kurien said he had filed a writ petition in the Kerala High Court earlier on the issue and an advocates’ commission submitted a report which reportedly sought measures including relocation of the units in order to curb pollution.

PERUMBAVOOR: Offering a ray of hope for the residents of Perumbavoor, the plywood manufacturers in the region have announced the formation of a new committee to keep a tab on the pollution caused by the companies.

The committee will study the cleanliness and hygiene amongst the plywood manufacturing units, said C K Abdul Majeed, general secretary, South Indian Plywood Manufacturers Association.

KOCHI: As the call against the industrial pollution caused by plywood factories strengthens, hundreds of people took part in a protest march to the District Collectorate on Monday.

The protest march, led by the Action Council for Environmental Protection, sought the cancellation of licences of the plywood manufacturing units in the worst polluted areas, a stop in approving licences to companies in residential areas, ban on the night-time functioning of the companies and raised various other demands. The march was inaugurated by social activist C R Neelakandan.

KOCHI: Rising levels of pollution caused by plywood manufacturing units in Kuttippadam village in Perumbavoor is slowly forcing the residents of the area to abandon their homes in search of a healt

A CPWD proposal to ban use of timber in construction has generated friction between manufacturers of wood substitutes and plywood, with each side claiming their product is superior.

A significant provision for forests in this year's Union budget may turn out to be a case of missing the forest for the trees. Motivated by a desire to "protect the environment and to save wood,"