THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The coastal community led by the Latin Catholic Church on Wednesday continued with its blockade in front of the Vizhinjam International Transhipment Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport site as part of the ongoing agitation against the project by Adani Ports.
The fishermen from Poovar and Puthiyathura holding black flags and wearing black clothes took part in the day-and-night blockade on the second day. They effectively blocked the vehicles carrying construction materials through the port’s gate at Mulloor. The police secured the place by erecting barricades.
The Church has decided to intensify the protest in the coming weeks. In addition to the road blockade, a protest is also being planned from the sea side using boats on August 22.
Though Transport Minister Antony Raju announced that the government had called fishermen for talks, Thiruvananthapuram Latin Archdiocese vicar-general Eugine H Pereira said there has been no formal communication to the representatives from the government. According to him, the Church had raised the issue before the government for the last one-and-a-half years and even explained the situation to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. He demanded the CM to listen to the fisher community.
The protesters came up with a seven-point agenda to address the problems faced by the coastal community. The main demands are to halt the port project and carry out a proper study on its negative impact. They also want the rehabilitation programme to be extended to all affected families and address their other livelihood issues including subsidised kerosene and dredging near harbour at Muthalapozhi.
While the government has expressed its inability to halt the project, it has started efforts to address the other issues. Fisheries Minister V Abdurahiman said a meeting with Central government officials to discuss the issues faced by fishermen is scheduled on Thursday. Earlier, a cabinet sub-committee had decided to hand over the 17.5 acres of land belonging to the animal husbandry department at Muttathara for rehabilitation.
The protest has received support from coastal areas in Kollam, Alappuzha and Ernakulam where the Church has a significant presence. Meanwhile, Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor called on the chief minister to discuss the problems of the coastal community. He was sympathetic to the suggested solutions, said Tharoor.