The protestors against the proposed under-construction Vizhinjam Port in Thiruvananthapuram, on Monday, October 17, disrupted public transport and even blocked the path of ambulances. Led by the Latin Church, they blocked roads from around 8.30 am and gathered in large numbers at eight points starting from Attingal to Poovar.
State-run buses were stopped, so were college buses. Blocking of roads took place despite a prohibitory order. Latin Archdiocese Vicar General Monsignor Eugene H Pereira said that the protest was against the authorities who ignored the agitation. "Our protest is against the authorities who refuse to accept our just demands and not against the general public. But we decided to block the roads as we don't have any other option," Pereira told reporters.
He said the fishing community would stand together and intensify the protest in the coming days. Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan asked the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to solve the issue. "The Chief Minister should intervene immediately. Why is he not interfering to settle the Vizhinjam protest? None of the ministers are able to give any assurances to the protestors. The attitude of the Chief Minister that he will not speak with the protestors is similar to that of Adani," Satheesan said.
Meanwhile, police told PTI that the protests were over by 3 pm. "A few roads which were kept free for the passengers to the airport and all. But the protestors blocked into the byroads also. We are collecting the details from all the police stations across the district and cases will be registered accordingly," the police said.
The Kerala High Court had asked the State government to remove the obstructions created by the protestors at the entrance of the port. The court had asked to also remove the shed erected by the protestors in front of the Adani port on a plea moved by the company.
The government on October 7 constituted a panel to address the concern for coastal erosion the local fishermen have if the port was built. Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited (VISL) received Environmental Clearance (EC) from Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF) in January 2014, which prescribed the course of action, environmental management, monitoring and reporting during the construction and operation of the port, it had said.
The clearance was challenged by various parties and it was upheld by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) with clear directions to the government of Kerala to proceed with the project. A large number of people on the coast have been staging the protest outside the main entrance of the multi-purpose seaport at nearby Mulloor for a few months. They were pressing for their seven-point charter of demands that include stopping the construction work and to conduct a coastal impact study in connection with the multi-crore project.
The protestors have been alleging that the unscientific construction of groynes, the artificial sea walls as part of the upcoming Vizhinjam port, was one of the reasons for the increasing coastal erosion. Giving details of the purported measures being taken by the government, the Chief Minister recently told the Assembly that the government was considering providing rented accommodation to the displaced fisherfolk.