Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, Mr. Sudheeran said the committee had sent out invitations for a public hearing to be held on April 25.

He had opposed the panel at the time of its constitution as it failed to address the concerns of the people of Arattupuzha, the controversial location for the mineral sand-mining project. It was unfortunate that the Government should allow the committee, headed by the retired judge, John Mathew, to go ahead with its functioning without reconstituting it.

He said that the Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy, had failed to implement his assurance that a credible study would be conducted by a committee acceptable to people's representatives and organisations in the forefront of the agitation against the project.

These sections were not consulted prior to its appointment and there were doubts about the committee's objectives and sincerity.

Mr. Sudheeran said that a proper environment impact assessment of the project proposals had become all the more important in the backdrop of the tsunami disaster that hit Arattupuzha. The tsunami-affected people were now being offered all kinds of concessions at a time when they were yet to come to terms with their surroundings and the failure of the Government- sponsored rehabilitation programme, he said.

Quoting the Central notification on conducting environment impact assessment for such projects, Mr. Sudheeran said the committee did not have subject area specialists in water and air pollution, ecosystem management, water resources management, flora and fauna conservation, land use, a social scientist with expertise in rehabilitation and representatives of non-governmental organisations.

The Central notification is also specific with regard to the norm for the appointment of chairman for such a panel. The three members were retired hands, while the member secretary was an official of the mining geology department, which is one of the main promoters of the mineral sand-mining project.

Terms of reference

He said that the terms of reference of the committee itself revealed the "hidden agenda" of the sand-mining lobby. Instead of a study of the environmental aspects of the project, the committee had been asked to look into the economic aspects and employment prospects of the project.

He suspected that the Chief Minister was in the hands of the mineral sand- mining lobby and wondered why he had not replied to his March 9 letter expressing his reservations about the composition of the committee.

Mr. Sudheeran also urged the retired judge to consider whether it would be appropriate for a person of his stature to be associated with the committee.

In reply to a question, he said the current problems in the ruling coalition had become convenient to divert the people's attention from such issues. Asked why his environmental concern was restricted to mineral sand-mining at a time when similar issues were current in other parts of the State, Mr. Sudheeran said he had decided to concentrate on Alapuzha as he was familiar with the issues and there were others to take up similar issues elsewhere.