THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The anti-port protesters led by the Latin Church have decided to extend their agitation to Muthalappozhi, a fishing harbour located 40 km away from the Vizhinjam port.
A pastoral letter issued by Archbishop Thomas J Netto, which was read out in the parishes under the Thiruvananthapuram diocese on Sunday, urged the community members to strengthen the protest as the stir completes 100 days on October 27.
The letter asked all members to join the protest at the sea at Muthalapozhi and on the land at Vizhinjam on the day. This is the sixth pastoral letter issued by the archbishop on the issue. Addressing the issues concerning the Muthalapozhi harbour is one of the seven demands raised by protesters before the government. The fishermen community blamed the unscientific construction of the Muthalapozhi harbour for the rise in sea accidents in the region.
On Saturday, the government decided to appoint Pune-based Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS) to study the problem. However, the protestors insisted that a representative with knowledge of the local condition should be part of the study.
The government had on October 6 appointed a four-member team led by M D Kudale, former additional director of CWPRS, to study the impact of the Vizhinjam port on the coast. However, the government did not consider the protesters’ demand to include an expert from their side. As an alternative, the Vizhinjam protesters formed a seven-member committee of its own to conduct a parallel study and submit the report in three months.
K V Thomas, former scientist and group head at National Centre for Earth Science Studies, who conducted extensive studies in the area, is chairing the team. The team will study the coastal erosion in the area and the impact of port construction on the life and livelihood of people on the coast, and arrive at a suitable compensation. Eugine H Pereira, Vicar General of the Thiruvananthapuram Latin Archdiocese and general convener of the protest, said the report will be placed before the public.
The proposed agitation at Muthalapozhi comes at a time when the High Court directed the government to remove the protest stage erected in front of the Vizhinjam port project site at Mulloor. Muthalappozhi is also a strategic location for carrying construction materials for the port, by sea.
In the backdrop of the frequent sea accidents involving fishermen, Fisheries Minister V Abdurahiman visited Muthalappozhi on October 12. The harbour has two breakwaters of 480 metres and 410 metres in length. The fishermen complained sand deposits at the harbour mouth resulted in accidents and demanded measures for regular dredging.
The harbour work began in 2013 and completed in 2020. There are plans to construct a series of groynes from Muthalappozhi to Thazhompalli to reduce the impact of sea waves.