(The Hindu)
The protest against the the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation’s shunting yard and fuel depot in Elathur has strengthened with the protest committee planning to move the High Court demanding that the depot be shifted to Kannur district as HPCL had assured them years ago.
Chandrasekharan Mattuvayal, the chairman of the reconstituted protest committee, said the residents of Elathur had no resort other than the court as the authorities including the Kozhikode Corporation, the district administration, and the State government had failed them by allying themselves with the petroleum giant.
“The authorities have turned a blind eye towards the problems faced by the local people of Elathur because of the shunting yard and the depot. They have also paid no heed to the rampant destruction of mangrove forest and filling of wetlands in over 10 acres near the depot,” said Mr. Chandrasekharan
HPCL set up the depot and shunting yard in Elathur 34 years ago, on the pretext that it was opening a petrol pump. The depot is located between the highway and the railway line over 3.75 acres of land. “This space is inadequate for such a depot which actually needs over 10 acres. Hence, it poses a danger to the local people,” said Mr. Chandrasekharan.
The newly reconstituted protest committee had gone on a hunger strike recently demanding that the depot be shifted to Payyannur. They have already moved the district court. “This is a matter of our existence. We are living in a state of uncertainty as the K-Rail, HPCL and the Railway have come down on us together,” said Mr. Chandrasekharan.
