The people’s collective that is protesting against the setting up of a sewage treatment plant (STP) at Vellayil has termed as baseless the claims made by the Kozhikode Corporation after a recent all-party meeting.
Davood T., the chairman of the collective, told reporters here on Monday that the efforts of the civic body were an eyewash and that the local people were far from convinced. The collective has also gathered a set of 25 signatures of representatives of various political, social and religious organisations in the region against the STP project. Mr. Davood said the collective would stage a day-night protest on March 28 and 29, pressing their demand to shift the STP from Avikkal Thodu.
Mayor Beena Philip, in a press release after the all-party meeting on March 10, had claimed that the representatives of all political parties had agreed to work together for the STP project and that the Corporation would take steps to convince the local people by clarifying their doubts regarding the project.
The United Democratic Front had come out with a statement the very next day, negating the claims made by the civic body in the press release and stating that it was with the local people of Vellayil and Kothi.
The Corporation had taken a team of local people from Kothi and Avikkal Thodu to Thiruvananthapuram to show them the working of a successful STP there, and to clear their apprehensions regarding the project. However, the people’s collective claimed that none of the people who had actually raised concerns were invited for the trip and that only handpicked CPI(M) supporters were taken to Thiruvananthapuram.
The collective pointed out that Avikkal Thodu was too narrow a place and with the STP coming up, it would be blocked, furthering the possibility of flooding in the region. Besides, the plan to dispose of the treated water into the sea through the Vellayil harbour is also a cause for concern as the water containing harmful chemicals could contaminate the water in the harbour.
“The Corporation’s attempt to reach out to the local people through meetings failed as they could not answer the questions raised,” said Mr. Davood.
