The residents of Vellarada on Saturday launched yet another round of agitations, spearheaded by the Sahyaparvatha Samrakshana Samithi, in protest against alleged moves to revive quarrying in the ecologically sensitive region.
They alleged that efforts are being made by the quarrying lobby to exploit the natural resources in the area, which formed part of the Western Ghats, under the pretext of the catering to the requirement of construction materials for the Vizhinjam seaport project.
Formally launching the protest at the Koothaly junction, noted filmmaker and Purogamana Kalasahithya Sangham (PuKaSa) president Shaji N. Karun cautioned that subjecting a village to indiscriminate exploitation would push its people to slavery. Such efforts must be thwarted at all costs, he said.
PuKaSa functionaries Vinod Vaisakhi and C. Ashokan, and other cultural activists including Kerala Lalithakala Akademi executive member Karakkamandapam Vijayakumar were among those who spoke on the occasion. The agitators took out a rally that started from the mango tree that was planted by poet Sugathakumari when they had commenced their agitation nine years ago.
