With a unique Citizen’s Manifesto to protect the green corridor, the Save Western Ghats Campaign is reaching out to the highest authorities while linking the activist groups in the region

This particular manifesto might be trivial against the extensive manifestos the parties boast of however as they enter the election fray a handful of candidates from the western parts of the state are promising a comprehensive look at it. Aiming to arrest attention and project the weakening state of the Western Ghats, members of the Save Western Ghats Campaign have come up with a Citizen's Manifesto for the ecological protection of Western Ghats. Prepared after consulting 85 non-government and research organisations and 8000 people from five states it is a part of the many activities this group is undertaking to evoke response to the rapid change the region is undergoing.

Initiated by a group of environmentalists working through different organisations including Pandurang Hegde, leader of the Appiko movement, A Latha of the River Research Centre in Thrissur, Archana Godbole, Director Applied Environmentl Research Foundation and Sudhirender Sharma Director, The Ecological Foundation they aim to create a common platform for the issues like development, policies, and NGO'S in the hallway.

The team that was revived a couple of years back after being dormant for years has also held interactions with MP s, workshops and so on since then. "We are an informal group which rather than being an organisation or an activist body want to link the groups that are already existing there and collecting data and research work reach out to the authorities and people. For instance in June we had P C Chacko, MP from Thrissur on river revival, assuring the restoration of Chalakudy River in consultation with the Central authorities," adds Godbole.

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