Vizhinjam port: no issues in deploying Central forces, govt tells HC
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Kochi/Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government told the Kerala High Court that it has no issues in deploying Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel at the Vizhinjam port construction site.
The court has asked the Central government for its views on deploying the force in the state.
The court on Friday also told the state government and Central government to have a discussion on the possibility of deploying central forces and inform the court.
After a section of the local fishing community in the area, backed by the Latin Catholic Church, raised massive protests over the last 130 days, works in the port site got halted.
Following the government, the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist also gave its nod to the suggestion. It said that it is the duty of the Centre to ensure the protection of industrial units.
It was on December 5, 2015, Adani Ports began construction of the Vizhinjam port.
In August, Adani Ports and its contracting partner Howe Engineering Projects, approached the High Court seeking police protection in light of the ongoing protests against the construction by the local fishing populace, allegedly under the leadership of the Latin Catholic Archdiocese of Trivandrum.
The protesters had demanded proper environmental impact studies, rehabilitation of families who lost their homes to coastal erosion and rectifying coastal damages, among others.
The court had passed several orders earlier, directing the police to ensure necessary protection for Adani Port employees. It had repeated that if the state government and police are unable to see that law and order are maintained in the locality, necessary steps should be taken to seek appropriate assistance from the Central government.