Protection for Vizhinjam port project: Kerala HC says waiting game cannot go on

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Monday directed the state government to inform whether there is a state-level committee in place under the chairmanship of the ADGP concerned to ascertain the law-and-order situation in the Vizhinjam area where the protest is under way against the international seaport project. The court issued the directive when the central government informed the court that for calling its forces, the state should constitute a state-level committee under the ADGP, where representatives of the intelligence bureau and central armed police forces (CAPFs) at the level of DIG may be co-opted.

The central government added the committee may examine and scrutinise the requirements of CAPFs by keeping in view the internal security, the previous scale of deployment, optimal utilisation of state resources, intelligence inputs, and availability of CAPFs in nearby locations.

The court observed that directions to provide police protection for the construction of the proposed project have not been complied with. The only concern of the court is to see that the directions are complied with. There is no opinion expressed on anything else.

“If you (the protestors) are standing in the way, that is liable to deal with in whatever manner is required. The waiting game cannot go on,” said the court. The counsel for the petitioner, Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Ltd, submitted that the protesters stalling the construction is amount to contempt of court. If the state government is unable to implement it, direct them to seek central help.

Why they are not doing it? Workers and vehicles are not allowed to enter the construction site. It was also pointed out that the stalling of the construction indefinitely is causing concern, submitted by the petitioners. The central government counsel added that central forces cannot substitute state police and should be deployed only in emergencies.