Waste centre invites local ire at J.T. Road in Vadakara
The material recovery facility would add to the pollution, say residents.
Kozhikode: A ‘Dawn to Dusk’ hunger protest was observed by the action committee at J.T Road Vadakara against setting up the material recovery facility (MRF) there as part of the Zero Waste Kozhikode project. The protest entered the 40th day on Monday and eight persons were on the hunger strike. Inaugurating the protest, green activist C.R Neelakantan said that the municipality could not impose a third waste centre at J.T Road as the residents were already bearing the brunt of the slaughter house and drainage water.
“Authorities should consider these people as those having rights like anyone else. If there is sufficient land in the trenching ground of Puthiyapp, why is the MRF being forcefully installed here,?” asked Neelakantan. K.P.A Rahim, T.K Madhavan, Purathodath Sukumaran, Prof K.K Mahamood among others spoke. Representatives of Congress, IUML, BJP, Ektaparishat, AAP, Welfare party, SDPI and action committee leader K. Anas sat on hunger strike on the 40th day.
“District Collector U.V Jose visited and was convinced of the problems here. We are waiting for a favourable action from him,” said Mr Anas. Vadakara municipal chairman K. Sreedharan reiterated that the MRF would come up at J.T road itself after allaying the fears of the residents. But the people are in no mood to relent. The 13-cent land near the old railway level cross at J.T road was identified for the MRF centre.