KOZHIKODE: Surrendering to the protests against the laying of GAIL pipeline at Iranjimavu, Mukkam, the government has decided to hold a meeting with the agitators. Minister for Industries A C Moideen has directed the district administration to convene the all-party meeting on November 6. The minister will preside over the meeting which will be attended by people’s representatives and leaders of political parties. Earlier, District Collector U V Jose had taken a stand against holding talks with the agitators.
However, the Janakeeya Samara Samiti, which is leading the protests, has decided to boycott the meeting. Their stand is that they will not attend the meeting unless the the pipe-laying work is stopped. The work had restarted on Thursday amid tight security. The Samiti will hold a meeting on Saturday to decide on attending the all- party meeting convened by the government.
In a meeting held at Mukkam on Friday to find a solution to the impasse, Thiruvambady MLA George M Thomas told GAIL authorities that if compensation for the land acquired is increased, several issues will be solved. GAIL DGM Viju M said, if the government decides the compensation amount, the GAIL would give it the land owners.
At present, the compensation has been set at 50 per cent of fair value. “If the government decides to give market value for the land, the GAIL will give 10 per cent of it. To change the compensation amount, GAIL needs a proposal from the District Collector. It is expected that a proposal will come up at the all-party meeting convened by the government on Monday,” Viju told Express.
Meanwhile, UDF leaders V M Sudheeran and P K Kunhalikutty on Friday visited the project site and houses of the arrested people and those injured in police action on Wednesday and Thursday. The leaders met Janakeeya Samara Samithi members and expressed solidarity with the agitation.
Sudheeran said CM Pinarayi Vijayan is behaving like a dictator. Suppressing agitations is not communist policy, he said.