![Members of 18 kirama makkal kootamaipu [federation representing 18 village communities] in Melur perform kummi songs in front of the Collector office.](http://media.newindianexpress.com/newindianexpress%2F2025-08-14%2Fzg07d8vd%2FKummi.jpg?w=480&auto=format%2Ccompress&fit=max)
MADURAI: In a novel protest, members of Kallangadu Sutruvattara Pathukapirkana 18 Grama Makkal Kootamaippu performed 'kummi' in front of the collectorate on Thursday, to urge the state government to give up the proposed SIPCOT project at Kallangadu in Melur taluk.
They also demanded the government to announce Kallangadu as biodiversity site saying the region has a rich concentration of flora and fauna.
According to the residents, the Tamil Nadu government has proposed to acquire 279 acres of land in Vanjinagaram, Boothamangalam, Kudukkampatti villages to establish the SIPCOT. If the SIPCOT is set up, it will destroy agriculture in the region, they said.
Prakash, a protester, said they submitted a petition to former district collector MS Sangeetha regarding this. "On Wednesday, some people brought an earthmover and started removing palm trees in Moovan Sevalpatti to lay a road for SIPCOT. Upon knowing this, villagers rushed to the area, staged a protest, following this they gave up their work," he said. On Thursday, the people submitted one more petition to collector KJ Praveenkumar.