A large number of persons under the aegis of High Range Protection Council today began indefinite picketing of power houses as part of their agitation against Centre's decision to implement key recommendations of Kasturirangan report on Western Ghat conservation.
Activists blockaded powerhouses at Pallivasal and Chitirapuram in the district. They squatted in front of the power houses as part of the protest.
Inaugurating the agitation leaders of the Council demanded the government to immediately intervene and remove human habitation places from the category of Ecologically Sensitive Area in the recommendations.
Police were maintaining a tight vigil to see that power distribution and functioning of power houses were not disrupted due to the blockade.
The CPI-M led LDF Opposition had observed a state wide hartal in protest against Centre's decision yesterday.
As per the draft notification issued by the Ministry of Forest and Environment, ecologically damaging activities like mining, quarrying and building of thermal power plants and big building complexes would be banned in ecologically sensitive areas to protect the Western Ghats ranges, running through six states, from further ecological devastation.
Protesters fear that if the recommendations were put into practice, there would be largescale displacement and farming activity - their main livelihood - would be badly affected.
