Chennai: A large number of women with children, besides students and youth from more than 100 villages, besides people from other parts of the state, gathered in Neduvasal village in Pudukottai district where the protests against the proposed hydrocarbon project intensified.
As the protest entered the 14th day, youth and students spearheading the agitations rejected the explanation of the Centre that no harm would be caused due to the project.
The farmers and villagers gathered in four places for a hunger protest against the project and calls similar to that during the pro-jallikattu protests are spreading like wildfire through social media.
MDMK general secretary Vaiko led a demonstration against the project and asked if the people of Tamil Nadu should sacrifice their livelihood for the economic development of the country. Citing the example of Nigeria, he said people in several villages lost their livelihood as agriculture was totally ruined due to hydrocarbon projects.
Hot food is being served to the protesters and the villagers themselves cook food near the Nadiamman temple. Besides tomato rice and lemon rice, biscuits and drinking water are provided to the protesters. Volunteers from the village are cleaning the garbage including paper plats and water sachets to keeping the place clean.
Students from Tiruvarur, Mannargudi and Thanjavur government colleges boycotted their classes and held protests against the centre. Film director Amir alleged that the centre is trying to convert Tamil Nadu into a desert and said more film personalities would join the agitations.
Besides, the local people, supporters from all over the state are heading towards Neduvasal as the agitations are getting bigger and wider everyday. A meeting of the heads of about 100 villages in the district was held to chalk out plans to intensify the agitations. The villagers also decided to approach the National Green Tribunal against the hydrocarbon scheme and asked the state MPs to raise the issue in Parliament.
The villagers also decided to light small lamps and hoist black flags in their houses. Evenwhile, the protests are going on there was a fire accident at Vanakkankadu, which is five kilometres from Neduvasal following a gas leak in a ONGC borewell and people near the area doused the flames to prevent a bigger accident.
