The government must open its eyes and read the writing on the wall, with the agitation against the Vizhinjam port by people living along the coast entering the 12th day, the executive committee of the Kerala Conference of Major Superiors (KCMS) said on Friday.
The project is being executed in an unscientific manner and will affect the life and livelihood of people. It is also a severe hazard to the environment along the coast and the mainland and hence does not augur well for the country. The project must be halted, an in-depth study done on its implications, and a package announced to provide houses for those who lost their habitats due to the project, said a press release by KCMS president Father Sebastian Jacobi. The KCMS also pledged solidarity with the agitation led by the Latin Catholic Archdiocese in Thiruvananthapuram.
The State committee of the Kerala Latin Catholic Association (KLCA) has warned against “attempts” being made to portray the agitation as an isolated one. The agitation gained relevance as work done as part of the port project had caused unprecedented coastal and environmental damage, said KLCA general secretary Sherry J. Thomas.
