Residents of north Chennai’s Ennore who had earlier announced boycotting the Lok Sabha elections, suspended their protest and exercised their right to vote on Friday, April 19. The residents of Periyakuppam, Chinnakuppam, Ernavoorkuppam, and Ennorekuppam had earlier passed a resolution to abstain from voting as a mark of protest against the government’s inaction on Coromandel International Limited plant (CIL).
Residents of Ennore have been protesting since December last year, demanding a permanent shut down of the CIL after a massive ammonia leak. Several people were hospitalised due to the incident.
After alleged inaction by the government, on March 31, the residents announced that they would refrain from voting. The residents said that they were displeased by the government’s apathy.
Speaking to TNM, the village head of Periyakuppam, Kumar, said "This morning we told the people that they can vote if they want. Most people are voting."
Ennore lies next to the Kosasthalaiyar river and Manali region, and is an industrial belt with around 200 companies, a mix of small and large, including industries, power plants, fertiliser and fuel-making units. On the night of December 26, the residents of Periyakuppam where CIL is situated, woke up to a pungent smell around 11.45 pm and found out there was an ammonia leak. The same area was also affected by an oil spill that reportedly occurred from the Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited (CPCL) on December 4.
The villages affected by the ammonia leak come under the Chennai North Lok Sabha constituency, and the residents allege that the sitting DMK MP Kalanidhi Veeraswamy did not pay them a visit after his campaign in the 2019 Assembly elections.
DMK’s Kalanidhi, AIADMK’s Manorangan and BJP’s Paul Kanakaraj are in fray in the constituency.
Watch: Why North Chennai’s Ennore will boycott Lok Sabha polls