Responding to a call given by the Livelihood Protection Forum of the People of Gudalur Constituency which is spearheading demonstrations against issues which reportedly affect or have the potential to affect the people residing in Gudalur and surroundings, thousands of men,women and children poured out on Sunday afternoon and participated in a human chain demonstration.
They also took a pledge to protect their rights particularly relating to their land.
In the peaceful demonstration which lasted for two hours in the afternoon participants urged the government to evolve ways to redress their grievances and meet their demands pertaining to the denotification of the buffer zone around the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR),repealing of the Tamil Nadu Preservation of Private Forests (TNPPF) Act and grant of pattas to those occupying Section 17 lands under the Gudalur Janmam Act.
While the demonstration was in progress shopkeepers in various parts of the constituency downed shutters and autorickshaws,taxies etc went off the roads.
Elaborate security arrangements had been made by the police to prevent untoward incidents.
Speaking to The Hindu President of the Forum Koshy Baby claimed that hitherto a human chain demonstration of such magnitude had not been witnessed in the state.
Stating that it was part of a series of demonstrations organized to draw the attention of the government to the demands of the Forum,he expressed the hope that it would make Chief Minister J.Jayalalithaa take a personal interest in the development of Gudalur and its people.
