Thiruvananthapuram: A high-octane agitation of fisherfolk that laid siege to Kerala's under-construction Vizhinjam port by sea on boats and by road ended up with them forcing themselves into the strategically important site by breaking open its gates. While one group of the fisherfolk in hundreds of boats blocked the port from the sea, the other rallying via land let themselves into the facility after a few climbed over the gates and broke open the locks from the inside.
A horde of protestors waiting outside ran over the facility while the police stationed there since morning in huge numbers watched helplessly as the protestors climbed over the gates and broke the locks. The protestors were then seen jubilantly dancing around after breaking through the gates, signifying the "take over".
Representatives of the protesting fisherfolk, who were hailed as Kerala's own army for their adventurous rescue operations in flood-hit areas of the state in 2018, had on Sunday made clear their intention to block the port from the sea, to intensify their agitation after talks with the state government last week failed.
One of the priests of the Latin Archdiocese, who are leading the protest, had a day ago said that while the state government said it would meet five of their demands, it was only an oral assurance and they wanted it in writing. The priest had also said that the construction of the port should be stopped and a study be carried out regarding its environmental impact and representatives of the fisherfolk, who are experts in such matters, be also consulted.
The Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC), a powerful church body, on Sunday had declared its full support to the coastal residents "who are fighting for their survival and the Thiruvananthapuram Latin Archdiocese which is leading their struggle".
A large number of coastal people have been staging an intense protest outside the main entrance of the multi-purpose seaport, located at nearby Mulloor, since last week pressing their seven-point charter of demands including to stop the construction work and to conduct a coastal impact study in connection with the multi-crore project.
The protesters have been alleging that the unscientific construction of groynes, the artificial sea walls known as "pulimutt' in local parlance, as part of the upcoming Vizhinjam port was one of the reasons for the increasing coastal erosion in the district. (with Agency inputs)
