The busy streets of Thoothukudi or Pearl City, so-called because of its specialisation in pearl fishing, stayed deserted till Friday morning.
In the market road, generally a vibrant place, most of the shops were closed for the fourth day in succession after 13 people were killed in police firing during the protests against the Sterlite Copper plant’s environmental degradation.
Though the Madras High Court has stayed the expansion of Sterlite Copper’s plant and the state government its closure, the protesters want an assurance it will not open again because it has allegedly flouted environmental laws and caused health problems — something the company management denied.
Besides, they want action against officials involved in firing on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The city started calming down on Thursday after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami announced the closure of the plant and the State Pollution Control Board ordered snapping power supply to it.
However, markets, shops, hotels and public transport have not resumed full operations. Most of the ATMs and card-swipe machines are not working because the internet service lies disconnected for five days in Thoothukudi, Tiruneveli and Kanyakumari districts.
In an attempt to pacify the raging public, the state government has transferred senior police and other officials, including the district collector.
The new district collector, Sandeep Nandur, who took charge on Thursday, went to the Government Hospital to meet the injured and relatives of those who were killed.
He told them medical care would be given to the injured. He also ordered Amma canteens to give food for free and co-operatives to supply fruit, vegetables and milk for the next three days. “I expect normalcy to return in the next one or two days,” Nandur said.
Nandur said 13 people had died, 19 were severely injured, and 83 received slight injuries.
Vehicles worth Rs 12.7 million were damaged and his office alone suffered damages of Rs 2.9 million.
Residents are still in shock. In a few pockets such as Anna Nagar, GH, Thres Puram and places near the Sterlite factory, there is tension and heavy police deployment.
The road leading to Thres Puram, a fishing hamlet where a 47-year-old woman called Jhansi was killed, has been blocked with fishing boats and large pipes so that the police cannot enter.
Johnson, her son-in-law who was allegedly detained by the police and made to sign on a piece of paper before her body was handed over to him, said she was walking home after dropping a parcel of fish at his house in the neighbouring street.
Jhansi’s family members have said they will do what the court says. The people are inconvenienced.
“For the past four days I am trying to buy sugar tablets, but I am not able to do so. Today the medical shop is open, but I am not able to buy anything because the ATMs are not working,” said S Vasantha, a local resident, standing in front of a medical shop.
Students whose results for the 10th and 12th standards have been announced are not able to apply for revaluation, register for entrance exams, and counselling.
Cargoes worth Rs 10-12 billion, including textiles worth Rs 3 billion from Tirupur, are lying at Tuticorin Port because around 5,000 lorries have stopped service.
The home department says “a public emergency has arisen”, and hence the internet service had to be stopped.
Political views
For once, the ruling AIADMK and the DMK are on the same page. None of the two wants the plant to operate and they don’t want a second plant either.