4 days ago
Villagers petition collector against Sipcot park
Madurai: Villagers from 18 villages submitted a petition to Madurai district collector K J Praveen Kumar on Thursday protesting against the establishment of the Sipcot industrial park in Melur.
They demandd that ongoing work be immediately halted and Kallangadu be declared a biodiversity heritage site. A group of women villagers also performed 'Kummi' folk dance in protest in front of the collectorate.
In their petition, the villagers, under the banner of 'Kallangadu Suttruvattara Paathukaapirkana 18 Grama Makkal Kootamaippu', stated that the industrial park, spread across 278 acre in Vanjinagaram, would have an adverse impact on villages in the surrounding areas.
"The Sipcot industrial park will destroy agricultural land and affect local availability of water resources for irrigation. Plant and animal life will be impacted, and grazing lands will also be destroyed," added the villagers.
The protesters further said the industrial park will lead to the ruin of temples and heritage sites in Kallangadu. They include a Shiva temple and Azhagunachiyamman temple, where villagers come together to worship and hold festivals. "There are 25 more temples nearby as well, and various symbols, artefacts, and stone carvings from the Pandiya era can be unearthed by an archaeological expedition," they added.
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