A section of residents of Edavanakad panchayat on Monday blocked the thoroughfare at Vachakkal Junction near Edavanakad demanding inclusion of the local body in Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) 2 category where a relaxed regime exists.
Currently, the panchayat is classified in 3 (B) where stringent restrictions have been imposed regarding construction activities in the coastal area.
Though the State government had included 175 local bodies in the second category, Edavanakad was excluded from the list. Interestingly, the nearby panchayats were included in the second category, said E.K. Saliharan, the president of the CRZ Action Council.
The exclusion of the Edavanakad panchayat from the list would deny hundreds of residents of the local body the benefits of the new CRZ norms. There is no justification for the exclusion of the local body from the list, he said.
The police arrested the residents who obstructed the road as part of the protest. The arrested persons were later released on bail.
The action council would intensify the protest in the coming days, he said.
Published - July 29, 2024 09:07 pm IST
