Alappuzha (Keralam) | Vice President of India C P Radhakrishnan on Sunday urged authorities to increase the depth of rivers in Keralam to prevent flooding and said people should not become 'fanatical' about environmental issues.
He was speaking at the 115th anniversary celebration of Malayalam daily Kerala Kaumudi here.
Radhakrishnan reached Keralam on Sunday and will attend events for two days.
"One big problem is coming for Keralam: the depth of the river is getting reduced because the sand is not being removed at frequent intervals. I am not saying the sand should be removed all of a sudden, but it should be removed at frequent intervals so the depth of the river can be maintained. Otherwise, where will the water go?” he said.
He said deepening the rivers was necessary.
"We should not become fanatical about anything, including the environment. We should not politicise everything; that will always go against the interest of development," Radhakrishnan said.
He said Keralam should progress along with other states in industrial, educational and healthcare sectors while also protecting the environment.
Radhakrishnan said he had asked MPs from Keralam to consider deepening rivers following the recent floods in the state.
"I told our MPs when they met me, 'You should deepen your rivers'. If it is in court, we should go to court and explain to them what the depth of the river was 10 years ago and what the depth of the river is today," he said.
He said unpredictable rainfall had become another major problem, with long periods without rain followed by heavy rainfall overnight.
Radhakrishnan urged journalists to create awareness about such issues and write about the need to address them.
"Some people say in the name of the environment that rivers should not be deepened, but then where will the water go?" he asked.
Radhakrishnan congratulated the people of Keralam on the change of the name of their state.
“I was chairing the Rajya Sabha when the bill was passed on 12th August 2026. I congratulate every Keralite for achieving this new name, because it represents the culture of Keralam. I could see the happiness on the faces of all the members that a historical error was now being corrected,” he said.
Radhakrishnan also highlighted what he described as three major contributions from Keralam to the country, referring to Adi Shankaracharya, Sree Narayana Guru and Mannathu Padmanabhan.
“If Adi Sankaracharya is not there, I don't think there is a United India today. And if Narayana Guru is not there, there is no equality among ourselves. And the third is Mannathu Padmanabhan, who is also a great reformist, who has given a lot of importance to education, who wanted everyone to get educated,” he said.
He said Keralam became the first state in the country to become 100 per cent literate due to the efforts of such reformers and described Narayana Guru as “one of the greatest sages and social reformers of modern history.”
Praising Kerala Kaumudi for maintaining journalism and its ethics over the past 115 years, the Vice President said journalism had played a vital role in creating political awareness, encouraging social reform, questioning established practices and giving ordinary people a voice for their rights.
He said the media must understand society and noted that Keralam was a progressive society with high levels of literacy and social development, political awareness, a vibrant cultural tradition and a strong global presence through its diaspora.
Radhakrishnan said the media landscape had changed dramatically over the last two decades, with news travelling instantly and smartphones turning every citizen into a publisher.
He said artificial intelligence could generate text, images and video within seconds, while social media could make a story reach millions before a traditional newsroom completed its verification.
"This creates opportunities, but it also creates... we should create the responsibilities," he said.
Keralam Governor Rajendra Viswanath Arlekar said struggles, conflicts and confrontations were not what society needed at present.
“Our society needs to sit together, discuss, debate, find a solution with a cool and calm mind. And that is exactly Kerala Kaumudi has been doing all these years,” he said.
Higher Education Minister Roji M John stressed the importance of fact-checking in the current world and spoke about the influence of social media on society.
The Vice President also felicitated SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan, who was recently honoured with a Padma award.
