The Thiruvalla People’s Movement (TPM) has decided to intensify the ongoing agitation against the cement yard at the railway station in Thiruvalla town.
Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, the TPM leaders, Abraham Mathew, Alexander K. Samuel, Philip N. Thomas, and Jacob Varghese, have accused the Railways of disregard towards public health by converting its platform-IV into a cement yard, posing serious environment pollution in the locality.
March
The TPM would stage a march from the SCS Junction to the Railway Station in Thiruvalla on Friday, demanding immediate closure of the controversial cement yard, they said.
Geevarghese Mar Coorilose Metropolitan of the Jacobite Syrian Church will inaugurate the march and the Thiruvalla municipal chairman, K.V. Varghese who is also the TAM patron, will preside over the meeting.
Prof. Mathew said the fine cement dust flying from platform-IV to the adjoining platforms during the loading and unloading work had been causing serious pollution menace.
Breathing issues
Many passengers had been complaining of breathing problems to no avail, he alleged.
Prof Jacob Varghese and Prof Thomas alleged criminal negligence on the part of the Railway authorities who have been repeatedly violating the High Court directions with regard to loading and unloading of cement bags at the railway platform.
Though the State Pollution Control Board (PCB), State Human Rights Commission, and Kerala High Court have directed the Railways to unfailingly take all necessary measures to contain the pollution problem due to the carcinogenic cement dust, the authorities concerned had not yet taken any effective step to address the same for reasons best known to them, Prof Samuel alleged.
Moreover, the air-polluting cement yard was located near to the Thiruvalla Medical Mission Hospital, a nursing college, and a number of residential apartments, besides a large number of residential homes in its close vicinity, they alleged.
Demand
They also demanded shifting of the controversial cement yard to the nearby lesser populated areas of Nalukody, near Thiruvalla, or to Cheriyanad, near Chengannur, where it has got more than 90 acres of vacant land.
The municipal council of Thiruvalla too passed a resolution demanding the Railways to shift the cement yard from the station premises to a nearby safer area like Nalukody or Perunthuruthy, they said.
