THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Vicar General of the Thiruvananthapuram Latin Archdiocese, Eugine H Pereira, has been the face of the protest against the Vizhinjam International Transhipment Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport. He was so even before the project was handed over to Adani Ports and SEZ in 2015. In an interview to TNIE, he says the protest arose out of helplessness after the government failed to address the coastal residents’ concerns. Excerpts.
What was the need to start a stir at this juncture?
We have been raising the issue ever since the government discussed the project with the Kumar Group at the turn of the century. In 2013, when there was a public hearing, we were heckled out in the presence of the then ports minister K Babu and Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited (VISL) representatives. Former Archbishop Soosa Pakiam issued pastoral notes against the project. Leaflet distribution, awareness classes and discussions have been organised ever since explaining the impact. The contract itself was shrouded in mystery. After they signed it, we told the government about the serious impact and demanded a package in 2015. Since 2016, we have met four cabinet sub-committees and the chief minister twice regarding the issue. But the authorities did not move an inch.
Still, the timing of the protest by the church has raised doubts.
As I said, the government went ahead with the project ignoring our concerns. When we approached, the government gave assurances of action on the ground. But that did not happen. The Covid outbreak was also a hindrance in organising a protest. At the same time, the people affected keep visiting the Bishop House with their problems. The protest came out of our helplessness.
We launched the protest when we realised the terror and apathy of the authorities. It started off as a small one, with discipline. But when we staged 10 days of protest in front of the secretariat, we did not realise there was a government. They did not show any intent to visit the people living in the camps. The protest was to create awareness but there was no response. The neglect became unbearable. The fisherfolk were excited because it was a question of their existence and they took it up as a stir for survival.
Are you able to take other communities into confidence or is it a protest for the Latin Church?
The fisherfolk have extended us unanimous support. It includes Muslims and Hindu communities. I got a call from K Kutty Ahammed Kutty, a Muslim League leader and former minister, to tell me that more fishermen will come out to protest. The Dheevara community has also extended support to form a larger collective. Environmental activists and scientists are also supporting us. There are protests being held in other parts of the state in support of our stir.
Are you getting enough support from Vizhinjam because a section has spoken against the protest?
They have been creating problems but they are a small group. They raise allegations which are borne out of their imagination. Many of them have been bought off by Adani. But the fishermen there are concerned about their livelihood once the project progresses.
What do you think of the comments made by the chief minister that the protest was preplanned, involving outsiders?
He spoke without knowing the facts. He just read out a statement written by someone else. His inept comment helped in attracting more people to the protest site on Wednesday. Earlier, they tried to intimidate using the police, now the chief minister himself has come out. It was an unfortunate comment from a government head at the time of talks.
The government spoke of the difficulties in stopping the project when it is pushing the contractor to meet the deadline. Is it possible to conduct an impact study without stopping the project?
Such an opinion was based on reports by the contractors. I think it is inept to take it seriously. They could not meet the first deadline. If the project is allowed to continue, the entire Western Ghats will be in the Arabian Sea. The world is facing a climate threat.
If the reports at the recent climate change summit in France is taken seriously, Kochi, Mumbai or even Thiruvananthapuram will sink in the future. The project will not result in any economic gain for the state, but contributes to huge losses. If it is affecting the whole society, it should not be handled irresponsibly. The government should focus on getting compensation from the contractor as per terms and it should be made clear to the public. The port, even if commissioned, is not going to function for several days in a year, and is going to make losses. So no harm in stopping the work to conduct the impact study.