The government on Wednesday suspended the land survey for the proposed Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL) pipeline through the district. The survey was suspended following the escalation of people’s protest against laying the pipeline through thickly populated areas.
A series of protests were taken out by the local people against the project in the past week. The protesters had thwarted attempts to carry out the land survey at several places in Ponmala and neighbouring panchayats. The protest escalated when the government threatened to arrest those attempting to block the survey. Sensing people’s anger, the government suspended the survey.