The Church-led action council leading the protest against the Vizhinjam international seaport has decided to link up with like-minded movements involved in similar protests across the State to drum up wider public support.
Monsignor Eugene Pereira, Vicar General, Latin Archdiocese of Thiruvananthapuram, said a decision had been taken to join hands with civil society groups in Thiruvananthapuram district on the one hand, and, on the other, with action councils related to the SilverLine rail project, Western Ghats-related issues and the Plachimada struggle.
”A march will be flagged off from Moolampilly in Ernakulam (where families were evicted in connection with the Vallarpadom terminal project) on September 14 and reach Vizhinjam on September 18 after covering the districts of Alappuzha and Kollam,” Mon. Pereira said.
Church leaders held a meeting with civil society groups in Thiruvananthapuram district at Vizhinjam on Wednesday. The meeting with representatives of groups from elsewhere in the State will be held on Thursday.
Relay fast to continue
At the same time, the protests at the port site at Vizhinjam will continue, according to a set of decisions taken at a meeting with district-level civil society groups on Wednesday, Mon. Pereira said. The ongoing relay fasts by fishers will continue on Thursday, the Thiruvonam day, he said.
The Swathantra Matsya Thozhilali Federation, Coastal Watch, Theeradesa Mahila Vedi and the Theeradesa Yuvajana Vedi were among the organisations that attended the meeting on Wednesday.
On Monday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had sharply criticised the archdiocese for going ahead with the protests against the port project. A ministerial meeting with the protesters on the same day also had proved inconclusive.
