CM to chair cabinet subcommittee on Vizhinjam port to achieve detente with agitating Latin Catholic Church-backed fishermen
The Hindu
The government hopes to build on the peace-making efforts of Baselios Cleemis, major archbishop-catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has called a meeting of the cabinet subcommittee on Vizhinjam port on December 5 evening in what is perceived as a strong political pitch to strike a detente with Latin Catholic Church-backed fishers and coast dwellers agitating against the harbour construction, citing livelihood and environment concerns.
The government hopes to build on the peace-making efforts of Baselios Cleemis, major archbishop-catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church.
It also wants to take the steam out of the opposition’s move to raise the highly emotive Vizhinjam issue in the Assembly.
The bishop met the leaders of the Latin Catholic Archdiocese on Sunday to fast-track the negotiation between the agitators and the administration.
The communally sensitive coastal locality has remained restive since Vizhinjam Action Council (VAC) activists stormed the local police station on November 27.
The mob vandalised the station house and smashed the windscreens of public transport buses. Nearly 35 police officers and scores of residents were injured in the attack.
The clash capped months of brewing resentment swirling around the Vizhinjam port’s breakwater construction.
With increased terminal entry points (eGates) at Mumbai International airport from 24 to 68, which is the highest number of e-gates at kerbside or landside in the country, the expansion will enhance the airport’s processing capacity to an astounding 7,440 passengers per hour at Terminal 2 (T2) and 2,160 at T1