Close in the wake of the nation’s 76th Independence Day, the Latin Archdiocese, which has embarked on a protest against the Vizhinjam Port Project, is again making waves by raising black flags in all parishes and holding vehicle rallies.

They started their protest pointing out that the construction of Vizhinjam port is the cause of coastal erosion in the coastal areas of Thiruvananthapuram. They are also demanding that the construction of the port should be stopped and a scientific study should be conducted with the help of the archdiocese, those who have lost their homes and land should be permanently rehabilitated by the government, and those who have lost their homes and land should be given equal compensation.

The state government has already held many talks with the protesters, but they are not ready to come to the path of reconciliation. M V Raghavan who was the port minister in the K Karunakaran government was the one who conceived and presented The Vizhinjam port project as a dream project of the state in 1991. It was flagged off in 2015 when Ummanchandy was the chief minister. Environmentalists and coastal residents raised strong opposition against the project in the early days, but such dissents were silenced, considering the development and progress the project would entail. The state government is also involved in the 7525 crore contract signed with Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Limited. When signing the contract in August 2015, Gautham S Adani had said that the project would be completed within a thousand days, that is by November 2018. But due to the unavailability of materials like rock, and the onslaught of natural calamities like floods, the construction was not completed on time. The construction was not completed even within the extended deadline of December 3, 2019. If the time limit is violated, the provision is to pay a compensation of Rs 12 lakh per day to the state government. Adani again failed to keep his promise of commissioning the port by October 2020. Reasons like covid were given raised as excuses. Now, when the construction of the first phase is nearing its final stage, the Latin Archdiocese comes with a strike in the project area. Studies so far show that the problem of coastal erosion raised by the archdiocese has nothing to do with port construction.

There are allegations that vested interests are behind the sudden strike amid hopes that commercial operations could begin at the port in 2023. If the strike continues despite the High Court's order not to obstruct the construction of the port, there is logic in considering the allegation to be true.

There is also criticism that the strike is being held in favour of Adani Group, which is undertaking the construction of the port. One section claims that Adani Group itself sponsored the protesters to bypass the provision of paying Rs 12 lakh per day to the government if the project is not completed on the date set by the contract. It is also alleged that China and other countries are making moves to derail the port project. There are also indications that China is blocking Vizhinjam project lest the Humbanthotta Port Project which they have set up in Sri Lanka should become useless if the Vizhinjam Port becomes a reality. Port lobbies of developed countries are also said to be working against the Vizhinjam project.

If the Vizhinjam deep sea port becomes a reality, it will open up a paradise for commercial exchanges. The benefit of this is not only for Thiruvananthapuram or Kerala but for the whole of India. Vizhinjam has all the characteristics of an international port, such as proximity to international shipping lanes, and a natural depth of 24 km at a distance of one nautical mile from the coast. The country's first deep-sea trans-shipment terminal, Vizhinjam Port, will handle one million TEU containers as the first phase of the project becomes a reality. A good portion of the Indian trans-shipment cargo handled by the Colombo Port will be diverted to Vizhinjam. This will earn foreign exchange worth around Rs.1500 crores. It will also create employment opportunities for many people. When logistics, transportation, maintenance, hotel, tourism, training centres, educational institutions etc are working in connection with the port, it will generate huge tax revenue for the government and employment for the people.

It is necessary to identify the reactionary forces that are moving against the Vizhinjam project which is sure to strengthen the economy of Kerala, especially that of Thiruvananthapuram, and subject them to legal action. Now the authorities should take care to forget the vote bank politics and realize the Vizhinjam Port is a dream project which is nearing completion after overcoming many obstacles and controversies for the good of the society. Or the investment of crores so far will just sink to the bottom of the sea.

* (Writer is Chairman of World Hindu Parliament and former President of Fokana)