The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Vizhinjam: protests gather momentum

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Tuesday, Sep 23, 2008
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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Vizhinjam: protests gather momentum

Special Correspondent

Protesters demand fresh survey, block roads in three places

— Photo: C. Ratheesh Kumar

People’s protest: The Janakeeya Prathirodha Samithi blocking the road at Kovalam junction on Monday to protest against the government move to acquire land for the Vizhinjam project.

Thiruvananthapuram: The protest over the government notification on acquiring land for the proposed international deepwater container transhipment terminal at Vizhinjam gained momentum on Monday with hundreds blocking roads and staging dharnas at three places.

The agitation was organised by the Janakiya Prathirodha Samithi (people’s defence council), an apex action council comprising the residents of Vizhinjam and neighbouring panchayats.

Participants in the dharna and road blockade, including a large number of women, shouted slogans and held placards demanding that the government cancel the notification and conduct a fresh survey.

Action council convener K. Satheeshkumar inaugurated the protest at Kovalam junction. George Mercier, MLA, C.P. John, Communist Marxist Party leader, and representatives of other political parties and community organisations addressed the dharna. Traffic along the Kovalam-Vizhinjam road was disrupted for hours.

Suicide threat

Similar protests took place at Kanjiramkulam and Mukkola. At Kanjiramkulam, a youth threatened to commit suicide by jumping from the parapet of a three-storey building. He was later dissuaded by his friends and escorted down the stairs.

Action council chairman K.S. Sajan said the notification had led to much concern and apprehension among the local people. He said the proposed land acquisition would displace thousands of families and deprive them of their livelihood security.

“The people are not against the project. But why should the government acquire densely populated areas when wasteland is available in plenty? If the Chief Minister is sincere in his statement that only 227 families will be displaced for the project, he should be prepared to cancel the notification and order a joint survey by the Revenue, Resurvey and Harbour Engineering departments,” Mr. Sajan said.

He said the residents would observe a black day on Wednesday when Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan visited Vizhinjam.

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