The ongoing public agitation against the proposed private airport project at Aranmula is to took a new turn with the women’s forum of the people’s action council, Palliyoda-Pallivilakku Protection Council, staging a day-long fast at Tharayil junction at Aranmula on Sunday.
Ms U. Pratibha Hari, Alappuzha District Panchayat president inaugurated the mass fast that began in the morning.
Addressing the mass fast, Ms Hari said the women’s mass movement opposing the private airport project and to protect the ecology and environment amply showed the growing public ire against the alleged callous neglect of nature and environment by the Government and the official machinery.
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Malethu Saraladevi, former MLA, presided the function. Sobhana Achuthan, Bharatiya Mahila Morcha State vice-president, delivered the keynote address.
Ms Hari has called upon the Government to take over the entire Aranmula puncha and launch collective paddy farming there to strengthen the State’s food security.
She alleged that the proposed private airport project was nothing but a land scam. All the culprits allegedly involved in the reported granting of certain clearances by the Centre as well as the State should be exposed and brought to the book through a comprehensive probe in the larger interests of the State as a whole.
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Ms Indira Raveendran, Mahila sanghom State president; S.Nirmaladevi, Janadhipathya Mahila Association district president; S.Radhamoni (SUCI), P. Prasad, CPI district secretary, A. Padmakumar (CPI-M), Bindu Prasad (BJP), and Viyayamma S. Pillai, women’s forum convener, also spoke.
Ms E.S. Bijimol, MLA, inaugurated the valedictory meet and led a march held, later, in the afternoon.
A. Girijakumari, District Panchayat member, presided the meet. Ms Victoria Gowri, Bharatiya Mahila Morcha national secretary, delivered the keynote address.