ALAPPUZHA: A meeting convened at Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday by Industries Minister

Elamaram Karim to discuss and sort out the developments after Tuesday's violence at the Alappuzha-based coir product factory, Palm Fibre Private Limited will continue at Alappuzha on Friday after having failed to make any headway.

According to sources, the company officials have asked for police protection and `a safe working environment' for the company and its 1200-odd employees if it was to open and function on a normal basis. Though the District Collector and the police officials were present at the meeting, no decision could be taken and another meeting for the purpose will be convened at the

Alappuzha District Collectorate on Friday.

Sources said Coir Minister G. Sudhakaran, who was present at the meeting, pulled up the Mannanchery Panchayat members for staging a dharna in front of the factory demanding its demolition. Eviction of encroachments was the Government's responsibility and it had its own machinery for that. There was no need for other political outfits or panchayats to interfere in such

matters, both the Ministers are said to have stated.

Condemning Tuesday's violent episodes, Mr. Karim is learnt to have asked the District Collector V.K. Balakrishnan and the district police officials to conduct an enquiry and submit a report at the earliest.

The company would remain closed temporarily till a decision was taken on the security aspect, sources said. Apart from the Ministers, officials from Palm Fibre, Alappuzha District

Panchayat president R. Nazar, block panchayat representatives, members of

the Mannanchery Panchayat, representatives of various trade unions and Labour department officials attended the meeting.

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