JOIN USDiscussions to resolve anti-Vizhinjam stir in Kerala remain inconclusive
Hectic discussions held in Kerala on Monday to find a solution to the nearly four month long stir against the Adani Vizhinjam port project remained inconclusive.
According to sources, there was progress in the demands of the agitators to enhance the rent for houses to those who lost houses in the coastal erosion as well as to include a representative of the agitators in the expert team studying coastal erosion. But a final decision did not emerge.
The agitators want the house rent to be enhanced from Rs 5,500 to Rs 8,000, until those lost houses are provided with new houses. Adani Group offered to meet the additional expense involved. But there were objections from agitators in Adani Group meeting the additional expense.
Sources said that the government did not agree to the demand to withdraw the cases registered against the agitators, especially those pertaining to attack on a police station that caused injuries to many police personnel and caused extensive damage to property.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was learnt to have held talks with members of a Cabinet sub-committee looking into the matter. Various religious heads and known personalities like former diplomat T P Sreenivasan held talks with the agitators.
CPI(M) district leaders also met leaders of the Thiruvananthapuram Latin Catholic Church spearheading the stir.
The initiatives from the government to settle the stir came as there were no signs of compromise from the agitators despite cases were registered even against the bishop and senior priests. The state government also came under criticism for not objecting to Adani group's plea before Kerala High Court for deploying central forces.