Kathiramangalam limps back to normality, shops reopen after 11 days

Sources said, local traders, who had shut shops for 11 days decided to open them just to avoid inconvenience to residents. 

The residents continued their sit in at Ayyanarkoil temple premises for the second day. The women, as a community, continued to cook using firewood. A large number of students from Kumbakonam visited the village to extend their solidarity for the protest against the ONGC operations. 

The residents were protesting continuously demanding the cessation of ONGC operations in the village and unconditional release of 10 persons who were arrested on June 30 when one of the ONGC pipes developed leak and crude oil flowed into a farm land. 

On Wednesday, more than 100 students from various colleges visited the Kathiramangalam village and staged a sit in. They raised slogans against ONGC operations and also the efforts to explore Coal Bed Methane (CBM) and Shale gas in Cauvery delta areas. 

However, traders met on Tuesday evening and decided to open shops as they felt that the villagers were subjected to inconvenience. Meanwhile, a section of residents from Kathiramangalam, who had already met the district collector about irregular potable water supply from Manickanaachiaarkoil to Draupadi Ammankoil, said that the problem was not rectified as promised by the Collector during his visit to their area a few days ago. 

They threatened to launch another protest if the issue was not addressed immediately. Similarly, farmer Sriram, whose field had an oil spill from a pipeline of the ONGC, was handed over a cheque for Rs 59,634 as compensation.