GAIL survey progresses in Malappuram despite protests
The survey has been in progress in the district for the past few days without much resistance.
MALAPPURAM: The survey for the land acquisition for the proposed GAIL pipeline project was conducted in Kodur, Ponmala and Marakara villages in the district with heavy police protection. Though there were minor protests from local residents, the team completed the procedures in some parts of Kodur panchayat on Saturday. The survey has been in progress in the district for the past few days without much resistance.
Most of the surveyed places so far are sparsely populated. During the survey in Marakkara panchayat last week, the revenue and GAIL team had to halt the procedures due to strong protests from local residents. However, the team completed the survey of the two-km pipeline stretch across four wards of the panchayat on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the leaders of the GAIL Victims Forum, which is spearheading the protests against the project demanding realignment of the pipeline to avoid densely populated areas, said that they were ordered not to go out of their respective police stations. “The government is trying to hush up the protests. Many of us have been charged with section 107 and 351 of the IPC,” said Mr Alavi Kutty, district convener of the forum.