Members of the Thrikkakara Janakiya Munnettam took out a march to the collectorate at Kakkanad and held a protest meeting before the district headquarters on Saturday in protest against the government’s plan to acquire 540 acres in Ayampuzha panchayat for the proposed Global Industrial Finance and Trade (GIFT) City project.
The rally started from near the Thrikkakara municipal office around 11 a.m. before the protesters marched to the collectorate. C.R. Neelakandan, environmental activist, inaugurated the march. The protesters carried placards demanding that the homes and land of the people of Ayampuzha be protected from takeover by the government.
They claimed that the government had not consulted local residents with regard to the project. Neither had it responded to a petition signed by 853 people, who will be affected by the project.
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The protesters also handed over a copy of their demands and concerns to the District Collector. Bijoy Cherian of the Jankaiya Samara Samiti at Ayampuzha was among those who spoke on the occasion.