Piling work for the Vizhinjam International Seaport resumed on Friday evening, after a gap of 11 days, with the local fisherfolk calling off their protest demanding adequate compensation. Earlier in the day, the district administration held talks with the representatives of the protesters, St. Mary’s Church, and with Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd. company officials.
Talking to reporters after the three-hour talks, V. Wilfred, parish priest, said the talks touched upon all issues and were ‘satisfactory’.
He later presented the decision of the meeting at a public committee at the Church and at the protest site, from where the decision to call off the protest was announced.
District Collector K. Vasuki said both short-term and long-term measures would be taken to allay the concerns of the fisherfolk.
Compensation
“The distribution of compensation for the ‘Karamadi’ workers has already begun and would be completed soon.
The survey to decide on identifying more such workers will be completed before November 30. A decision on providing kerosene to the fishworkers will be taken within 10 days. There are certain long-term measures, The government will take a decision on these,” said the Collector.
The residents and fisherfolk of Vizhinjam had begun the agitation on October 24 demanding immediate implementation of the rehabilitation package announced in the May 15 meeting convened by Chief Minster Pinarayi Vijayan after a protest on May 8.
They also alleged that the piling work had caused damage to their houses.
In the initial stages of the protest itself, the district administration had held talks with the protesters.
It was decided to set up an expert committee with members of the local community to look into the reasons for cracks that develop in their houses in future and coastal erosion in the area, which the fisherfolk believe is due to reclamation of the sea for constructing the seaport.
Following the assurance, a section of the protesters had taken a decision to call off the stir.
But another section remained firm on its demands and refused to give up. The Church announced that the protest would continue, respecting the ‘public sentiment’.
Machinery unloaded
On Friday evening, the machinery that Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Ltd (AVLP) had transported from Gujarat, and which were blocked from the project site, were also unloaded, with the calling off of the protest.
