Protest against GAIL project
The protest by the local residents of Kottur panchayat disrupted the officials of the Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL) from carrying out survey for laying pipelines. Officials with GAIL were blocked by over 40 families at Amayattu Vayal near Koottalida on Thursday.
The protesters alleged that the officials were planning to lay the pipelines through residential areas posing threat to their lives. The police team from Balussery police station took 15 protestors into preventive custody.
GAIL is taking over 20 metres of land for laying the pipelines, according to officials, will be laid 1.5 meter deep.
The protest was staged by families who own small plots. As the construction of building and planting of trees are banned in the 20 m used for the pipeline, it would affect the families badly, the residents alleged.
The residents of Amayattu Vayal in Kottur panchayat have long been demanding the authorities to divert the route of the pipeline avoiding residential areas.
Meantime, Kottur panchayat president M P Sheeja said that the officials could have avoided the protest if proper discussions were held with the affected people ahead of the survey. “The survey was carried out peacefully in the nearby areas as the officials convened meetings of residents and explained them the mode of operation of the pipeline thus clearing the apprehension of the residents ahead of the survey work,” she said adding that no such discussion was held at Koottalida.
K K Balan, vice president of Kottur panchayat, who was among the protestors said that they were not against the pipeline but the officials should be willing to address fears of the residents before starting survey.
