Around 400 people took part in a protest organised by the Punathilthazham-Puthanvallivayal Samrakshana Samithi at the Collectorate in Kozhikode on Saturday, demanding that sanction accorded for the construction of a super-specialty hospital at Edakkad be cancelled.
The agitators allege that the site for the hospital was a paddy field and that the promoters had levelled it, going against law.
‘Token protest’The protest was inaugurated by environmental activist C.R. Neelakandan. RMP leader K.S. Hariharan, AAP leader Shoukath Ali Eroth, and environmentalist M.P. Jayachandran, along with representatives of SNDP Yogam, and Hindu Aikya Vedi took part in the protest.
Samithi member C. Sudheesh said the dharna, held from 11 a.m. to 1.30 p.m., was a token protest. Discussions would be held on intensifying the agitation. The residents of the region have been holding a dharna at Edakkad for three weeks. The hospital has received clearance from the Kozhikode Corporation and other agencies concerned.
