Panel to take out protest march on Nov 6
KOCHI: The people’s committee in Puthuvype has decided to take out a march on November 6 to further strengthen the ongoing protests against the IOC’s LPG terminal plant there. It will begin from Goshree Jn and conclude at Rajendra Maidan. CPM veteran V S Achuthanandan will inaugurate the public meeting to be held at the maidan.Several thousand people are expected to take part in the protest march, with representatives of various organisations and prominent personalities scheduled to join the protesters, according to Jayghosh M B, people’s committee chairman.
To create maximum awareness about the march, various campaigns and programmes will be organised from November 1- 5. These include blood donation camp, music shows and other programmes. Jayghosh said the march is intended to declare to the outside world the people of Puthuvype will never ever allow the terminal’s construction there.
The expert committee appointed by the state government had convened a meeting of IOC officers and people of Puthuvype on September 28 to help understand the issue. The committee had announced its intention to come out with its final conclusions by this month-end. Nonetheless, the people’s committee decided to continue with their protest march irrespective of the expert committee’s decision.
Due to protests from the people in Puthuvype, the work on the terminal had been halted since 2015. An indefinite strike began in Vypeen from February this year when the construction activities resumed.The fierce crackdown by the police on Puthuvype protesters in June saw questions being raised over the shocking brutality and the case is currently in court.