Priya Gour
Published on: 26 August, 2022 at 19:18 IST
The Kerala High Court has issued directions to the police authorities with respect to assurance of law and order in the Adani Construction area in Thiruvananthapuram. It was in the context of the Vizhinjam International Transhipment Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport.
The bench was led by Justice Anu Sivaraman, who quoted:
“The concerned Station House Officer and the Commissioner of Police shall take appropriate steps to ensure that law and order is maintained in the locality.”
The Case:
The port is being constructed by M/s Adani Vizhinjam Port Pvt Ltd as per the landlord model on a PPP basis, of Design, Build, Finance, Operate And Transfer (“DBFOT”).
Opposition has been made by the local fisherfolk community, under the leadership of the Catholic Archdiocese of Trivandrum. They have been demanding environmental impact studies, the rehabilitation of families who have lost homes because of coastal erosion, and the correction of coastal damages.
The petition submitted that the protesters have blocked the entry and exit points of the construction site and often enter the high security zone.
Counsel for the petitioner, Advocate Roshen D Alexander informed that construction work has been hauled since August 17 because of the ongoing protests.
Even after environmental impact studies have been conducted, the coast has been proven to be stable with little possibility of erosion. Even the National Green Tribunal held the apprehension without any bias, which was later confirmed by the apex court.
And so, the government and the police take necessary actions to resume the work, owing to the national utility of the project.
The Government Pleader also informed about the utility of the project and that it shall take all necessary steps to solve the issue.
A request for provision of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) by the Centre as a direction was also made, since, the Centre has stakes by means of the Viability Gap Fund (VGF). However, the Government Pleader informed that the CRPF would not be needed to ensure law and order.
Thereby, the bench shall hear the matter next on 29th August, 2022.