Thiruvananthapuram: Minister for ports Kadannappally Ramachandran and minister for tourism Kadakampally Surendran will meet the representatives of local fishermen who are agitating at Vizhinjam seaport worksite stalling the works of the port. The ministers have agreed to meet the agitators on Wednesday at the request of Janapaksham, a pro-development organisation that has been working on the realisation of the Vizhinjam port project.
The works of the breakwater at the port site were stalled since September 30 after the local fishermen, whose livelihoods were affected by the port works, launched an agitation citing that the government was yet to fulfill promises given to them before commencing the construction of the port. Though secretary (ports) Sanjay M Kaul met the agitators on October 16 and held talks with them, the agitators had refused to call off the protest until their grievances were addressed through government orders.
Meanwhile, the government has officially addressed two of the demands raised by the agitators. These are the renovation and repair of Gangayar drain and upgrading the drinking water pipelines in the port project area by replacing old and worn-out pipelines with new ones. The government order in this regard was issued on last Friday.
The renovation of Gangayar stream is a Rs 84-crore project. The local residents had demanded repair and renovation of Gangayar and Karumpozhikkara drains, two of the four major drains that flow into the port area, citing that waterlogging caused by the deplorable condition of the drains gave way for diseases among the local residents. In its order, the government has directed that Adani Group and Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited (VISL) must equally share the expenses of this work. The fund needed for this work must be deposited to minor irrigation department and the works in this regard must be begun immediately, said the order.
The order also said the Kerala water authority has fixed an estimate of Rs 1.74 crore for the renovation of drinking water pipelines in the project area. The cost of this project must be met by VISL.
Government sources, who did not wish to be named, said the government was not ignoring the grievances of the agitators as alleged by some.
“The agitators have a long list of demands and they fall under the ambit of multiple government departments. It would take its own time to coordinate with officials concerned in those departments to take necessary action,’’ an official said, adding that the government order on the Gangayar drain and drinking water pipelines were an example that the government had taken their demands seriously. The official also hoped that the agitation would be called off once they get assurances from the ministers themselves.