Environmental activists on Tuesday conducted a protest by drawing kolams against the Central government over the draft Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) notification 2020.
The Chennai Climate Action Group, called for the protest under the caption ‘Let your Rangoli speak to save the environment.’ Many activists in Chennai, as well as fishermen in coastal villages participated in the protest by drawing kolams in front of their houses or on their terraces, demanding the withdrawal of the EIA 2020.
Viswaja Sambath, one of coordinators of the Chennai Climate Action Group, said, “Kolam is not just an art or tradition people follow, it can also be used for building conversations with our neighbours and friends. COVID-19 has affected public gatherings and other protest forms, but people are using their tradition of kolams as a form of protest to register their concerns over EIA 2020.”
Activists including Nityanand Jayaraman, S. Raja, of the Anti-Sterlite People’s Movement, Thoothukudi, G. Sundarrajan and Poovulagin Nanbargal participated in the protest of drawing kolams.
The protests were seen in Anna Nagar, Besant Nagar and Thiruvottiyur, and districts including Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Thoothukudi, Tiruvannamalai, Erode, and Puducherry,
“From Jallikattu to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, Tamil people have used their front yards and kolams to express their sentiments. On Janmashtami day, it is befitting that we celebrate life by drawing kolams that condemn the Union government’s anti-environmental activities,” said Nityanand Jayaraman, an environmental activist.
