The Palliyoda-Pallivilakku Samrakshana (Protection) Samiti (PPSS) and Kerala Pulayar Maha Sabha have staged two separate processions to the Thechikkavu and Chooralkunnu, sacred groves, situated in the land identified for the proposed private airport project at Aranmula in a symbolic protest on Saturday afternoon.
The processions began from the Sree Parthasarathy Temple at Aranmula.
As many as 300 devotees, including women and children, took part in the procession carrying a ceremonial lamp lit with the sacred fire brought from the sanctum sanctorum by the temple chief priest.
Thechikkavu and Chooralkunu are two sacred groves having close ritualistic links with the Parathasarathy Temple and the devotees lit a lamp before the idols at these two places, later.
Public meeting
A public meeting, protesting against conversion of paddy fields and wetlands surrounding the sacred groves, was also held at Aranmula junction, later.
Ms Malethu Saraladevi, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee(I) member and former MLA, inaugurated the meeting.
She said there was no question of the people of Aranmula permitting any more illegal conversion of the paddy fields and wetlands in Aranmula in the name of the private airport project.
K.S. Suresh, Sreeranganathan and Arnmula Vijayakumar, samiti leaders, also spoke.
The samiti leaders said as many as 24 farmers have come forward to launch cultivation in 25 acres of paddy fields in Aranmula that have been lying fallow over the past 10 years, protesting against the notification made by the Industries department declaring the paddy field as industrial area a year ago.
