TIRUNELVELI: In protest against the establishment of a solar plant near their village, several residents of Kallathikulam in Tenkasi district returned their Aadhaar, voter ID and family cards to the governor of the state and copies to the President of India, via post in Tirunelveli on Tuesday.
They claimed the proposed plant would destroy acres of farmland and the livelihoods of the people.
Perumal, one of the protesters, said, "About 300 acres of orchards and crop fields, having mango, jackfruit, sapota and palm trees, are being cleared by a Coimbatore-based private firm for setting up a solar power plant. We have been opposing it for the last several months, and a case is pending in this regard in the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court."
The residents claimed, "Despite submitting petitions to the village administrative officer, collector, the forest department and the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board over the last four months, the state government has not taken any step against the plant."
Villagers also raised concerns about wild animals entering their village due to habitat loss, causing crop damage and accidents. "Seven spotted deer were killed by stray dogs. A woman riding pillion on a two-wheeler died in a collision with deer, and two others were injured," they said.