KOCHI: The residents of Puthuvype launched an indefinite agitation against the construction of an LPG terminal at Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) plant in Puthuvype on Thursday. The residents started a sit-in under the aegis of Puthuvype LPG Terminal Virudha Janakeeya Samara Samithi, at 7 am.
The Samithi alleged the construction on the LPG terminal was being carried out in contravention of the order issued by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on August 2, 2016. As per the NGT directive, no construction work should be taken up in the inter-tidal zone between 200 and 300 metres from the coastline, the protesters said.
“We are not against the LPG terminal, but we don’t want the terminal to come up in Puthuvype, which is a densely populated area. The LPG tanker accident in Chala and Karunagappally and the pipeline accident in Andhra Pradesh indicate the dangers involved in handling LPG. The plant at Elamkunnapuzha in Puthuvype will put our lives at risk,” said M B Jayaghosh, chairman of the Samithi. He said the IOC could have set up the facility in Wellington Island.