Cheyyur residents oppose proposed coal conveyor belt

“We don’t want the power plant,” stated S Sathish Kumar, a fisherman from Vilambur, who was a part of the protest. Voicing the local community’s concern, he said, “The coal from the conveyor belt will pollute our lands. It will destroy our water resources. 

The hot water effluents from the plant will be let out into the sea, which will destroy the fish population. In addition, the fly ash will cause health concern for the residents living here.” 

Apart from the loss of farm land, the residents are apprehensive about the groundwater pollution, caused by these plants, said Pooja Kumar, researcher, Coastal Resource Centre. Vilambur is close to the sea and farming is the main occupation. Cheyyur is known for plantation yields such as mangoes, pineapples, papaya and cashew. 

By installing the conveyor belt for the 4,000 MW power plant, residents worry that their fertile lands will be affected by the pollution caused by coal. Fly ash, particularly, can stick to the leaves of these trees and can, over time, affect the quantity and quality of yield. 

Also, there is a huge concern regarding groundwater, which is good now. The conveyor belt runs through agricultural lands and populated areas, raising questions on impact of harmful fly-ash on the residents. 

"Teams of people have already started surveying the area for the project, which has alarmed the residents. People are worried about livelihoods, living spaces and water woes, especially since there is an ambiguity about the proposed plan for the conveyor belt and how much of private lands will be required,” she concluded.