The Latin Archdiocese of Thiruvananthapuram which is leading the protest against
the Adani owned Vizhinjam Seaport project has decided to intensify the protest.
The decision was taken at a meeting held on September 2nd.
The meeting presided over by Archbishop Thomas J Netto, also decided to stay firm
on the seven demands raised by the Church.
They also decided against shifting the protest venue from the main gate of the project site. The priests also came out against the government’s claim that most of their demands have been addressed. “There is no truth in the campaign that the government has accepted most of our demands. The government should issue orders on the decisions taken,” said a priest.
Meanwhile, the protestors breached the barricade erected by the police and entered the project site on September 2nd as they have been doing since the start of the agitation. The police tried unsuccessfully to stop the protestors from entering the site. The work has been
stopped since August 16.
The Church started the protest by demanding the government to stop port construction and study its ecological impact by involving coastal people, and ensure fair compensation and rehabilitation for the loss of property and houses of fishermen. The other demands included compensation for fishermen who lost work days due to adverse weather warnings, ensuring smooth navigation at Muthalapozhi harbor, providing subsidized kerosene as done in Tamil Nadu, rent-free accommodation for people who lost houses and rehabilitation of families
affected by sea erosion.
The Church leaders held talks with the chief minister once and cabinet sub-committee twice to resolve the issue. However, the protestors decided to continue the stir after their demands were not met. Though the government has announced measures for rehabilitation of affected people, the talks failed to move further.
The hard stance taken by both sides has reduced the scope for compromise talks. The Church has also joined party to a petition filed before the High Court and its leaders remain hopeful that the court would see merits in the protest for survival.
