Thoothukudi: Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami will face protests during his Kovilpatti visit on Friday (May 11) as the DMK led Opposition parties, some traders and anti-Sterlite activists have threatened to stage black flag protests, though separately.
The DMK decided to protest the Chief Minister inaugurating the second pipeline scheme that is yet to be completed and government’s failure to fully implement the fourth pipeline scheme launched to enhance drinking water supply to Thoothukudi city during the previous DMK regime.
Traders and anti-Sterlite activists have decided to display black flags as their demand to close Sterlite was not seriously considered by state government. According to Sethu Rathinam, traders’ wing coordinator of the Thoothukudi north district DMK, the second pipeline scheme for water starved Kovilpatti town was launched 5 years ago and has been progressing at a snail’s pace. Ten overhead tanks under this scheme are not completed and half of the house connections are yet to be given.
“The Chief Minister is to inaugurate a half-built project to hoodwink the people of Kovilpatti, hence to make people understand this drama, we plan a black flag protest during his visit,” said Sethu Ratinam. Thoothukudi MLA P Geetha Jeevan added that her party also hopes to bring to the notice of the Chief Minister that the fourth drinking water pipeline scheme launched 12 years ago under the previous DMK rule is yet to be implemented with only 25 percent of people benefiting under the scheme now in Thoothukudi.
Traders and anti-Sterlite activists plan the black flag protest to make the Chief Minister understand the growing disappointment of Thoothukudi people on the response of government to the Sterlite issue.
“Instead of respecting people’s sentiments, state police has been registering cases against those struggling against the private industry,” said Baskaran, anti-Sterlite activist and general secretary of the Thoothukudi Central Traders Association.
He called upon traders in the district to down their shutters and participate in the black flag protest against the Chief Minister on May 11. The response to these calls has not been so enthusiastic with the Congress, the major ally of the DMK, not in a mood to share the protest platform with the DMK, according to one of the office-bearers of the Thoothukudi district unit of the Congress.
“The DMK is exploring ways to oust the Congress from their alliance in Tamil Nadu,” said the Congress leader. Left parties too have not shown any positive response to the open call given by the Thoothukudi MLA and Thoothukudi north district DMK secretary P. Geetha Jeevan. Many traders, during a meeting held in Thoothukudi on Wednesday morning, openly went against the idea of closing the shops.Police said that ample action has been taken to prevent protestors nearing the Chief Minister’s route to the function venue at Kovilpatti. “If necessary we will not hesitate to take action under the preventive detention Act,” said a police officer.
