The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Road blockade paralyses traffic along border

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Friday, Nov 24, 2006
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Road blockade paralyses traffic along border

Tamil Nadu Bureau

Protesters condemn Kerala stand on Mullaperiyar issue, threaten to stop supply of all materials

STRIDENT PROTEST: DMK cadres, ryots and activists of other organisations blocking inter-State traffic between Coimbatore and Kerala on the National Highway on Thursday afternoon over the Mullaperiyar dam issue. — PHOTO: S. SIVA SARAVANAN

COIMBATORE/THENI: Road blockade by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam activists and cadres of other parties at nine places in Coimbatore district along the border, condemning the Kerala Government on the Mullaperiyar issue, paralysed inter-State traffic between Tamil Nadu and Kerala on Thursday. In Theni, three ghat roads were blocked.

The agitators blocked inter-State arterial roads and the feeder roads in rural areas. Soon, cargo-laden vehicles, trucks, buses and private vehicles lined up for several kilometres on the busy National Highway 47 connecting Salem and Kochi.

The agitation began around noon and was continuing till late in the evening. The activists raised slogans threatening to stop supply of all materials to the neighbouring State. They condemned the Kerala Government for usurping the rights of Tamil Nadu. Efforts by the police and Revenue administration to persuade them to call off the blockade were in vain.

The police said in all the nine places, the agitators numbered close to a thousand. Reinforcements were rushed from various places to ensure the safety of passengers in the stranded vehicles.

According to the police, road blockade was reported on the Kande Gounden Chavadi checkpost on the NH 47; Vezhanthavazham branching off from NH 47; Gopalapuram, Vazhanthayamaram and Naduppuni near Pollachi; Amaravathy Nagar near Udumalpet; Anaikatti and Veerappagoundanur near Kinathukkadavu; and Semmanampathy near Anaimalai.

Tense moments

An attempt by a section of the agitators to block the Coimbatore - Kannur train at Podanur railway station resulted in tense moments. The police removed 40-odd agitators and the train was cleared after a brief delay. A train between Pollachi and Palakkad was blocked at Meenakshipuram along the border. No untoward incidents or arrests were reported till evening.

In Theni, Democratic Progressive Alliance cadres dumped boulders on NH-220, the Kumuli-Theni highway, Bodimettu Road connecting Munnar and Theni and Cumbum Mettu Road connecting Kumuli through Kochara and Anakkara with Cumbum.

Buses, lorries and cars proceeding to Munnar, Kumuli, Sabarimala and Vandiperiyar in Kerala and all vehicles entering Tamil Nadu from Kerala were stranded on the three ghat roads for three hours.

TNSTC buses stranded

Approximately 70 TNSTC buses were stranded between Kumuli and Cumbum. The worst affected were Sabarimala pilgrims. On seeing the blockade on Kumuli road, most of the pilgrims, who could not pass through Cumbum Mettu and Bodi Mettu to reach Kerala due to the blockade, began returning home.

Naval team

A naval divers' team, along with the Collector and the Superintendent of Police of Idukki district, on Thursday visited the dam site with advanced equipment to check the strength and stability of the dam. PWD Executive Engineer Baskaran informed the naval experts that they should not check the dam without obtaining the Tamil Nadu Government's permission. The team later returned to Thekkadi.

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