THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A series of road blockades by the fishermen's community to protest against the Vizhinjam port, inconvenienced the public as they blocked all the major roads towards the city, on Monday.
They blocked the National Highway at Attingal; NH Bypass at Chakkai, Thiruvallom, Uchakada and Poovar and the coastal road at Station Kadavu. Large groups of protestors came with boats and nets to block all the locations including the service road to ensure a total blockade, from 8.30 am. There will be a protest march towards the Secretariat before noon. They plan to continue the blockade till 5 pm as announced.
The parishes under the Thiruvananthapuram diocese read a pastoral letter issued by Archbishop Thomas J Netto asking the community members to work for the strengthening of the protest till they get justice, during Sunday mass.
The protestors who gathered near the port construction site near Vizhinjam decided to block the road when the government started efforts to restart the project. They had also planned to put a blockade at Vizhinjam and Mulloor. But the district collector Geromic George ordered a ban on protests at these locations citing law and order issues.
Vicar General of the Thiruvananthapuram Latin Archdiocese, and the general convenor of the protest, Eugine H Pereira, said the road blockade was not meant to inconvenience the public. But against the adamant attitude of the government against a marginalised community.
He said there will be a state-wide protest to highlight the issue with the support of various organisations, on Wednesday. The protestors organised an art and cultural meeting in front of the Secretariat on the same day.
Meanwhile, the Janakeeya Prathirodha Samithi (JPS), a group supporting the port project at Vizhinjam has also strengthened their protest against the Latin Church-led protest. They had set up a stage opposite to the stage of the group opposing the project and demanded that the venue of the Church-led protest should be shifted out from the project gate.
The Church has plans to strengthen the protest as the government is finding ways to restart the port work and commission it as per the schedule. The ports minister Ahammad Devarkovil held meetings with the representatives of Adani Ports, the concessionaire of the project, to address issues facing the project implementation, at Thiruvananthapuram on October 13. The company demanded compensation of Rs 78 crore for the work affected due to the protest.
The church started the protest by demanding the government to stop port construction and study its ecological impact by involving coastal people, fair compensation and rehabilitation for loss of property and houses, compensation for fishermen who lost work days due to adverse weather warnings, ensuring smooth navigation at Muthalapozhi harbour, provide subsidised kerosene as done in Tamil Nadu, rent-free accommodation for people who lost houses and rehabilitation of families affected by sea erosion.
The protest began in front of the port site at Mulloor in Vizhinjam on August 16. The work at the site has been stopped since then. The High Court directed the government to provide security on the petition of the concessionaire of the project and the construction company. The petitioner has also filed a contempt petition before the court.
Ends
Traffic diversions
The police diverted the traffic to help the public to reach their destination. People going to the airport shall take Canal Road near Karikakom temple. People coming to Thiruvananthapuram through National Highway shall take a diversion from Alamcode, Nagaruru, Kilimanoor and Venjarammoodu.
Those going to Kollam shall take a diversion from Vetturoad to reach MC Road. Those going near Chakkai shall take a diversion from Venpalavattom. Those stuck at Station Kadavu shall take a diversion through Menamkulam.