Stir against petroleum storage project to be intensified.

An action committee has been formed at the district level by various people’s organisations to intensify the stir against the proposed petroleum storage project at Thalothu Vayal in Payyannur.

People have been protesting against the proposed dedicated storage terminal to be developed by Hindustan Petroleum Corporation and Indian Oil Corporation. The facility is expected to ease supply requirements for districts in middle and north Kerala.

Vegetation under threat

However, people believe that the development proposed on 129 acres will destroy the vegetation of the entire region, including paddy fields, mangrove, and wetland.

The decision to form the action committee named ‘Kandankali Samaram-Jila Sathyagraha Samaram’ is in the wake of the recent amendments made by the Ministry of Environment and Forest in June 2019, said committee vice president Vinod Payyada.

He added that in the amendments, the Centre had omitted 6B, which requires an environmental impact assessment by the State government.

The omission will help the Centre carry out a project without clearance from the State.

Mr. Payyada said the committee had decided to petition and directly meet the Minister of Environment and Forest, Minister of Petroleum, Chief Minister, and the Leader of the Opposition.

The committee members will also meet Members of Parliament seeking their intervention and to put pressure on the Centre to stop the proposed project, he added.

Efforts will be made to pass a resolution by the affected panchayats. Besides, protest programmes have been planned before HPCL and BPCL units.

Activist Dr. D. Surendranath will be the chairman of the committee and Hari Chakkarakkal will be the convener, he noted.

THE HINDU