CHENNAI : The campaign slogans of parties might have replaced protest slogans at Periya Kuppam, 20 km north of the city, but it is only a temporary pause in the Ennore villagers’ fight against Coromandel Fertiliser Unit.
In the protesting villages, election campaigns, though not vibrant, are still visible as political party flag poles greet you along the way. “We have tried many forms of protest to raise our demand. But the government still has not explained its stand clearly on our demand for the permanent closure of the plant,” a resident of Periya Kuppam told TNIE.
The Ennore Makkal Paathukappu Kuzhu, the collective of 33 protesting villages, had filed a case before the southern bench of NGT challenging the environmental clearances granted to the plant.
The idea of a poll boycott was suggested by some residents, however, there is no consensus in the protesting committee. “Active protest is now withheld due to the election. It will be restarted after the polling. The idea of a poll boycott is yet to be decided,” said another resident of Chinna Kuppam. Even in the absence of active protests, meetings are regularly convened by representatives to decide on further course of action.
Meanwhile, another section believes that while the legal fight is on, the idea of a poll boycott need not be discussed. “The state government has not taken any action against our interests. Even though we are disappointed about the lack of commitment from the candidates in North Chennai for our demands, we can continue to pressure our representatives. We will continue our protest on the political front as well,” said a member of the protesting committee.
Incumbent MP Kalanidhi Veerasamy had petitioned the union environment minister regarding the plant closure and also assured the protesting villagers that the state government will legally ensure their demands are met. However, BJP and AIADMK candidates have not clearly spelled out their position on the protesters’ demand.
“We democratically undertook our protest. We heeded the official’s request and temporarily withdrew our active protest. But we will continue our protest in every form possible till the plant’s closure,” said a resident of Periya Kuppam.
In a makeshift tent, residents of 33 villages in Ennore took turns to keep alive their protest against the fertiliser plant for more than three months. Every day, around 100 women, children and men gathered under the tent to register their protest against the plant after ammonia gas leaked from a pipeline on December 26.
Periya Kuppam remains the epicentre of the protest against the Coromandel plant, as active protests continued for more than three months till the protest site was temporarily dismantled after police officials consulted with the protestors citing the model code of conduct coming into force in April. Whether the protest succeeds remains to be seen, but the committee has succeeded in spreading their message.
The protest site is now a congregation with residents of Periya Kuppam taking refuge under the banyan tree to escape the scorching heat and discuss current events. With old Tamil film songs, mostly from movies of late MGR, playing from a mobile phone, the residents discuss the political campaigns of various parties and its impact on the protests.