Jose Pinto Stephen

Vizhinjam Port in the point of view of Elias John

Vizhinjam is a fishermen’s village on the coastal shore of the Arabian Sea. Christians and Muslims are the two dominating groups of people in this beautiful region. It is a natural port and the government was trying to install an international seaport in Vizhinjam. Promise was given many years ago. But it still remains as a paper document and no one knows when it will become a reality. Lots of debates are going on about this topic and in a meeting organized by Aam Admi Party- Trivandrum,Mr. Elias john is giving a wonderful speech on this issue and that speech is recorded and available in you tube. As per Elias John when Vizhinjam mother port becomes a reality it can change the total infrastructure of India. He continued his talk as follows. We have no mother ports in India. Our neighboring countries like China has six or seven mother ports, Sreelanka has two and Singapore has two or more mother ports.

There are no raw materials in Singapore. But Singapore is grown into this level only because of the seaports in Singapore. The development of Dubai is also mostly happenedbecause of their seaports. Transportation of goods in the international market is done possible because of the ships and the seaports. In world at large majority of the transportation of goods are taking place through oceans. If it is actualize vizhinjam can take the lead role and the adjacent ports like Kolachal, Thoothukudi, Vallarpadam and Thankassery can get advantages from it and the south coast will become a big maritime workshop in that region. It will affect the development of India in a large scale.Kerala is loosing progress because of the delay in building a Mother Port in vizhinjam.

Vizhinjam will bring huge amount of income to India. He claims that there are lobby’s trying to destroy this project.Some of them are working openly and some of them are working under cover.It is a global phenomena and not a local phenomena. We are lacking real political willingness and that is why projects likes these are being delayed to get into functioning. It is a best project the central government should implement in a rapid speed. Vizhinjam projectis not a local phenomenon. It is a global phenomenon. He is not only explaining the goodness this port can bring into our country but also explaining how to raise money to build this port. He also criticized our environmental policies. He said, “ we are blindlyadopting the environmental policies developed by the US and European countries. They are already developed and now they are trying to have a clean environment in their countries and trying to impose the same policies into third world countries.

We should be careful about this motive. Our people are starving and they are under utter poverty. “Our people should need jobs. Our people should eat properly first. Then we can think about the environment. “ He added. He said he is not against environmental protection and he also claimed many of these agencies are telling half-truths or no truths. We need the port right now. When it is delayed the infrastructure cost will go up very high. Many people are predicting what is happening in Atlantic Ocean area now will happen in Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea when this port will become a reality. I was talking to you about vizhinjam port in the point of view of Elias John. I hope many of you might know him well. If not I should explain to yousomething about Elias John. He is a well-known media person in Kerala and he is also involved in national and international media world. Let me give you some informationposted in his own website.

ELIAS JOHN A post graduation in political science, diploma in Journalism is the basic qualifications.During the late 80’s he had served in Doordarshan.During the DDK period he completed a basic TV production-trainingprogramme from Film and TV industry of Pune,India and underwent a short-term assignment in Kashmir as part of a news team.After leaving DDK he joined NTV as one of the promoters. During his NTV days he has served as the Kerala correspondent of NDTV which was at that time doing ‘World This Week’. He was the one who did the first live election reporting from TrivandrumSimultaneously.He was representing Sun TV also. He has anchored various TV shows like Jalakam (DDK),Aniyara (Surya) etc. Now he heads NTV Kerala operation.

To know more about NTV and to contact Elias John visit www.ntv.in

Please click on this link to watch his video presentation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LGCy4brkQQ