Residents resume protest against poultry waste rendering unit at Ambayathode in Kerala’s Kozhikode
Residents say they will never allow waste-laden lorries to the factory premises again nor will they permit the factory management to resume operations ignoring public protest
On Friday, August 7, residents in Ambayathode, a locality near Thamarassery in Kerala's Kozhikode district, recommenced their protest against the Freshcut poultry waste rendering unit. This follow-up action came after the Kerala High Court issued a stay on the Kerala State Pollution Control Board's decision to shut down the factory. The committee vowed not to allow waste-laden vehicles to approach the factory and to obstruct the factory's management from restarting operations, despite public opposition.
The action committee members, Koduvally MLA P.K. Firoz and Thiruvambady MLA C.K. Kasim, expressed their support for the residents. They affirmed that any move to resume factory operations, disregarding environmental concerns, would be challenged in court. They emphasized that no further waste-laden lorries would be permitted to enter the vicinity following the heightened protest.
Thampi Parakandathil, the chief patron of the action committee, hinted at forthcoming legal actions to have the recent High Court stay on the Pollution Control Board's order overturned. Meanwhile, sources from the Revenue department stated that a combined inspection report by the District Collector and Pollution Control Board officials would be submitted soon. This report would detail the factory's operations and public grievances, as per the latest instructions from the High Court.
The poultry waste treatment facility, operational since 2014, has been embroiled in controversies for more than five years. Residents from Kattippara, Ambayathode, and adjacent areas were at the forefront of protests, citing foul odors, contamination of water sources, and threats to public health as their primary grievances. The issue gained significant state-wide attention last year when protests turned violent, leading to clashes between demonstrators and police, resulting in injuries to both police personnel and protesters, as well as damage to the plant and its vehicles.
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