AsiaPorts and Logistics

Violent protests against Adani’s Kerala port project

At least 150 people were injured and over 3,000 booked Monday after a violent protest against the construction of a port in the southern Indian state of Kerala by Asia’s richest man, Gautam Adani.

The incident took place in the town of Vizhinjam, where the fishermen community with the support of the Latin Catholic diocese has been protesting against the Adani Group’s $900m port project.

The protestors allege that the construction of the port would lead to a loss of their livelihood and may cause massive soil erosion.

The protest turned violent over the weekend when the Adani Group resumed construction after the Kerala High Court ordered it to proceed. Construction work had been halted for almost 120 days.

According to media reports, the protestors attacked the Vizhinjam police station Sunday night, demanding the release of arrested protestors. The police took five people into custody on Saturday.

The port project, which has been discussed and gone through multiple approval hearings over the past 15 years, aims to claw back some of the transhipment volumes that Colombo, just 175 nautical miles away, has built up.

Sam Chambers

Starting out with the Informa Group in 2000 in Hong Kong, Sam Chambers became editor of Maritime Asia magazine as well as East Asia Editor for the world’s oldest newspaper, Lloyd’s List. In 2005 he pursued a freelance career and wrote for a variety of titles including taking on the role of Asia Editor at Seatrade magazine and China correspondent for Supply Chain Asia. His work has also appeared in The Economist, The New York Times, The Sunday Times and The International Herald Tribune.
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