Pudukkottai: People’s protests against the Union government’s move to extract hydrocarbons in a few villages in and around Neduvasal near Pudukkottai entered the 19th day on Monday.
Official sources said the ongoing agitation at Nallandarkollai, Vadakadu also intensified further and the villagers of Seruvavidhuthi near Neduvasal took part in the agitation in large numbers and all the shops at Seruvavidhuthi remained closed today.
Scores of differently-abled persons from Ponnamaravathi carrying black flags came in vehicles and also extended their support to the agitating villagers, while a large number of farmers and villagers from more than 30 villages in and around Athanur village of the neighboring Thanjavur district also joined the protest at Nallandarkollai plant and staged a demonstration there.
They raised anti-central government slogans and later went in a procession to Neduvasal and staged a demonstration there too.
The Neduvasal struggle committee members told visiting presspersons that they decided to send a delegation to New Delhi to meet the Prime Minister and also Union Petroleum minister shortly to plead with them that the hydrocarbons project should be shelved. Until then, the agitation will continue, they added.
Women protesters on Monday outnumbered men agitators again and the former even took to wailing (oppari) and to draw the government’s attention to the people’s plight due to the proposed project.
