Kerala HC asks Chief Secretary to form panel to check if sand removal from Thottappally can be done without eco damage

Key Points

1. Kerala High Court directs Chief Secretary to form a high-level committee regarding Thottappally spillway.
2. The committee will assess the ecological impact of sand and soil removal from the spillway.
3. The committee is to be headed by the District Collector, Alappuzha.
4. The committee must include experts and officials from various departments including Irrigation, Forest, and Kerala Coastal Zone Management Authority.
5. Petitions were filed by Green Roots Nature Conservation Forum and M.R. Omanakuttan.
6. The petitioners raised concerns about the ecological impact, particularly on turtle nesting grounds.
7. The area is a nesting ground for Olive Ridley and Hawksbill turtles, protected under the Wildlife Protection Act.