Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 9 (IANS): Kerala Finance Minister K.M. Mani Sunday said that the central government should enact laws so that seawater and sand could be exploited for development without raising environmental concerns.

He said this in a draft approach paper prepared by his Kerala Congress (Mani) party for submitting to the central government as part of the discussions on the 12th Five Year Plan for which the National Development Council is meeting later this month.

"All over the world, sea resources have been exploited in a scientific manner for progress. Today Kerala is facing a huge shortage of sand used for construction purposes. The sand from sea can be processed without causing any environmental harm, likewise shortage of drinking water can be solved if sea water can be used as it is being done elsewhere," said Mani.

The Kerala Congress (Mani) is the third biggest ally of the Congress-led United Democratic Front. Masni, 78, has won every election since 1965 from Pala constituency in Kottayam district.

He clarified that the draft his party planned to submit was prepared to see that the central government took notice of the issues for which necessary legislation needed to be enacted.

"In Kerala, I fully agree that what lacks is a political consensus and it is in the light of this, that we are requesting the centre to see that a discussion is initiated to take up issues of exploiting sea resources on a sustainable basis."

"After a consensus is evolved, necessary laws can be framed for the smooth progress of the country where we aim for a 9 percent growth during the 12th Five Year Plan," said Mani.