VS Achuthanandan has turned 100. He will be commemorated in history as the Leader of the Opposition and as the Chief Minister who played a significant role in advocating for the progress of environmentally conscious policies within his state. As a political leader, he understood the significance of safeguarding the forest habitat, wetlands, and other ecological sites in the Western Ghats for posterity.

Munnar and the catchment area of ​​Periyar are some of the most naturally rich areas in Kerala. The presence of organized encroachments in forest areas, with the backing of political parties, has always been a concerning issue. 

In May 2002, at the age of 78, V.S. visited the hilly terrains to see for himself the encroachment in the area. During his tenure as the Opposition leader, he successfully campaigned against encroachment in the Mathikettan area of ​​the Elamala reserve. 

In 2003, the government decided to protect 12.82 square kilometres of forest in Mathikettan as a National Park. V.S. demanded action after witnessing forest encroachments in the Pooyamkutty area and the ganja plantations in the Kambakal hills. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy also made a similar trip to the area. At present, Kambakal Hills falls under the Kurinjimala Sanctuary.

When dealing with a subject, VS used to call press conferences only after carefully studying its intricacies and making notes. As a result of an inadequate approach to handling court cases, the state found itself on the brink of losing vast expanses of protected forest lands. Nevertheless, VS effectively raised awareness of this issue by calling a press conference at Cantonment House, where he presented videos and photographs showcasing the Kakkivani forest and Mandhanpotti in Mannarkkad and Kavilumpara in Kozhikode. To achieve this, V.S. spent weeks gathering information and preparing.

V.S. was aware of the encroachment of government land in Munnar and Elamalakkad by a select few individuals through acts of corruption and collusion. It is important to note that his decision to intervene in Munnar was not a  hasty one but rather taken after holding a lot of discussions. The inquiry report prepared by Intelligence DGP Rajan Medhekar and subsequently submitted to the government in 2004 revealed large-scale encroachment. This report meticulously outlined  approximately 3000 fraudulent Pattaya lands registered in the region.

Furthermore, the government register books and the land documents in the revenue department office were intentionally destroyed with the connivance of a few officials. The inquiry report of the expert committee constituted on the recommendation of Rajan Medhekar's report also found many irregularities in the documents.

The panel of experts had asked for action under civil and criminal laws against the encroachers and others involved in the case. The report was ultimately presented for the deliberation of the state government.

In April 2007, VS Achuthanandan, in a press conference held at Aluva Guest House, brought the matter to the attention of the public and raised concerns regarding the significant environmental harm that Kerala would inevitably encounter in the future.

He disclosed that his administration intends to implement robust measures to reclaim and safeguard government-owned land. This is precisely how the government commenced the renowned Munnar initiative. The dedicated task force successfully reclaimed a staggering 11,000 acres of land on that particular day. It is imperative that the citizens of Kerala awaken to the realisation of the influential land mafia responsible for these encroachments. Despite our inability to fully accomplish the initiative, its reverberations still persist.

Later, the report given by the committee headed by additional chief secretary Niveditha P. Haran also contained shocking details about the encroachment. All this perfectly justifies the actions of VS and the Munnar drive. Finally, in the month of March 2020, the Kerala High Court asked the state government to convince them of the action taken on the reports of Rajan Medhekar and Niveditha.

Due to the Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act, enacted by the VS government, there has been a steep decline in the destruction of the paddy fields in the state. Presently, attempts have been made to water down the law, which came into force in the month of August 2008. Between 2001 and 2006, when VS was the Leader of the Opposition, he opposed massive conversion of paddy lands.

The reclamation of paddy lands has had a positive impact on the environment, food security, and employment opportunities for the general populace. According to the 'Economic Review' of the State Planning Board, the state of Kerala witnessed a reduction in paddy fields from 8.82 lakh hectares in 1974-75 to 1.96 lakh hectares in 2015-16, resulting in a decline in paddy production from 13.76 lakh metric tons to 5.49 metric tons during the same period. The loss of 32% of paddy fields in the 1980s alone is a cause for concern. It was only in 2010 that the central government considered enacting legislation to safeguard wetlands.

V.S. is a prominent political figure who has consistently demonstrated unwavering support for the strikes organized by victims of Endosulfan, thereby effectively raising public awareness regarding the dangers posed by lethal pesticides. As the esteemed Leader of the Opposition, he actively fought alongside these victims, and upon assuming the role of Chief Minister, he took the initiative to implement a comprehensive relief package for the affected individuals in the Kasaragod district. During his tenure as Chief Minister, on 25 April 2011, he spearheaded a hunger strike at the Martyrs' Column in Thiruvananthapuram, advocating for a nationwide prohibition on the use of endosulfan.

In 2016, whilst serving as the opposition leader, VS declared his intention to commence a fast in front of the Chief Minister's residence from January 26 onwards, alongside individuals who had suffered from endosulfan. He proceeded to level accusations against the government, asserting that it had neglected to furnish the victims with sufficient compensation. Subsequently, in his capacity as the chair of the Kerala Administrative Reforms Commission, he corresponded with the government in January 2017, requesting an ex-gratia payment of Rs 10 lakh for each endosulfan victim, as mandated by the Supreme Court's verdict.

The state cannot forget VS's role in the formation of a buffer zone for Silent Valley National Park by including 148 square kilometres of forest land from Nilambur South Forest Division and Mannarkkad Forest Division.

The 'Plachimada Coca-Cola struggle' was a renowned environmental movement in the state which garnered significant public support. Interestingly, VS openly supported the struggle. During his tenure as the Opposition leader for the third time, VS expressed apprehension regarding the number of massive granite quarries on the Western Ghats' inclines, which presented environmental challenges. The calamities that occurred in Kavalappara, Wayanad, Kottayam's Koottickal, and Idukki due to torrential rains in 2018 and subsequent years have demonstrated that VS's concerns were not unfounded.