Passing by the charred remains of a cart on the premises of Fresh Cut Organic Products Pvt Ltd, a poultry waste rendering unit at Ambaythode in Kattippara panchayat of Kozhikode, Isaac Jacob, an employee of the plant, stopped for a moment.
The broken metal parts of the vehicles, their burnt clothes and melted plastic interiors and the thick layers of soot and charred remains of the building reminded them of the violent incidents that had taken place on the campus a few days earlier.
The six-year-long protest against alleged air and water pollution caused by the waste treatment plant suddenly turned violent on the evening of 21 October. An angry mob of over 200 people reportedly stormed the factory premises and set vehicles and buildings on fire, causing extensive damage. As the chaos spread, women and children started running to hide at the protest site. Within no time, some miscreants reportedly entered dangerous areas of the factory, attacked workers and set a section of the factory on fire. 14 vehicles including a pickup van and a motorcycle were destroyed in the rioting action.
“The area looked like a war zone, with fire spreading rapidly through vehicles parked on the premises and parts of the company buildings. Someone was heard shouting at fellow arsonists. The screams of frightened employees, who had fled the scene, were drowned out by the din of noise. Someone alerted the firefighters. Police personnel swung into action and tried to disperse the arsonists. Everything was in chaos,” the plant’s electrical division said. Sreejeet, an employee of the company, who was seriously injured. violence. He is recovering in a private hospital after two surgeries.
Two weeks later, an uneasy calm prevails on campus. The prohibitory orders imposed by the district administration have slowed down the pace of life. Nevertheless, the situation is gradually returning to normal under the supervision of police personnel.
People protest against poultry waste rendering unit at Ambaythode in Kozhikode. , Photo courtesy: K. Ragesh
Fear was evident on Isaac’s face as he hurried across the yard and across the debris to enter the partially burned company building, which is in the midst of a raging dispute.
According to some protesters, the violence was caused by police attempting to clear the way for some garbage-laden vehicles to reach the factory, bypassing the protesters. Some eyewitnesses say that police efforts to disperse the crowd by firing tear gas shells enraged the protesters and they retaliated by pelting stones.
Leaders of the Action Committee, who were leading the movement, say they were unaware of the sudden development. “We never resorted to aggressive protest in these six years. Our agitation was focused on the pollution caused by the unit. A thorough investigation should be conducted to identify the miscreants who infiltrated the protest and created trouble,” demands Thampi Parakandathil, chief patron of the action committee. He demands that while tracking criminal elements the police should not victimize innocent local people who are fighting for the right cause.
Public anger from the beginning
The ₹22 crore factory processes waste from poultry rendering units in the district into raw material for pet food. The unit, which began commercial operations in 2019, has an installed capacity to process 25 tonnes of poultry waste a day. It has faced strong public opposition since the early days of its operation.
“The stench emanating from the factory has made our lives miserable. About 5,000 residents of Kodencherry, Kattippara, Thamarassery and Omassery panchayats have been seriously affected by the air pollution caused by the factory. Yet, the company officials are unwilling to listen to the complaints of the residents,” complains Thampi, former vice-president of the Kodencherry grama panchayat.
Kattipara Gram Panchayat President Premji James says that the Panchayat has not given approval to operate the factory in the area. “The factory operators managed to get approval from the appellate authorities and overcome objections from the local body,” says Premji.
PK Zeenath, a housewife from nearby village Karimbalakkunnu, says she is worried about her 72-year-old father, who is suffering from a respiratory illness apparently caused by air pollution. She says many residents of nearby villages are also facing similar health problems. Many residents complain that officials are inclined to protect the interests of investors rather than those of villagers.
Environmentalists also express similar concerns. TV Rajan, state general secretary of Green Movement, a Kozhikode-based environmental organisation,Says that a fact-finding team will visit the affected areas to take stock of the situation. TKA Aziz, another environmental activist, holds the firm responsible for water pollution.
plight of a river
Supporting their argument were TK Suhra and Fathima, residents of Omassery panchayat, complaining that the Iruthulli river, their main source of water, is being polluted by effluents from the factory. “Skin diseases, including allergies, have become common in the region,” he complains.
Fatima Shifa, a resident of Thamarassery Panchayat, says that due to the foul smell emanating from the factory, villagers are being forced to organize family functions at far-off places. She says the factory should be closed.
These complaints had prompted a small group of residents to hold daily protests outside the factory since its inception. On 21 October, a large group gathered in front of the unit and demanded its closure. Amidst this protest, violence broke out and unpleasant incidents occurred.
Now, there has been a slow return of peace with District Collector Snehil Kumar Singh offering to heed the villagers’ concerns.
The police investigation of the incidents and the search for the miscreants have now taken center stage and the pollution caused by the factory and the public protests that followed have been sidelined.
Action Committee accused the police
A senior member of the Action Committee held the police responsible for the violent incidents. He complains, “If the police had not used tear gas shells, there would have been no clashes. The police instigated the protesters and tried to suppress the movement by force. Their behavior with women and children was inhumane.”
A Special Investigation Team led by DIG Yatish Chandra, who is probing the case, has picked up 18 people suspected to be involved in the arson and related violence. Several Action Council members and police personnel were injured in the incidents.
“We suspect that some criminal elements infiltrated the protests and changed their course. Police are searching for those who instigated the violence. Cases have been registered against over 300 identifiable persons suspected to be connected to the incidents. The factory was set on fire when workers were at work. Even attempts were made to stop the firefighters,” a police officer said on condition of anonymity.
There is also a theory that rivalry between some former business partners escalated into violent incidents.
On ‘external elements’
The company’s managing director Sujeesh Kolothody suspects the involvement of some “external elements” who, according to him, provided ammunition and equipment to turn the peaceful protest into a violent one.
“An impartial investigation is needed to identify the culprits. The violence caused a loss of ₹3 crore to the company,” he says. “The unit is complying with all norms. We are ready for any regulatory scrutiny and assessment by the competent authorities. The allegations against the company are baseless,” says Sujeesh.
Kodencherry gram panchayat officials are not in favor of the centralized waste treatment model like the controversial one, which, according to them, is the preferred model of the state authorities. Alex Thomas Chembakassery, president of the local body, suggests, “Huge quantities of waste are brought to a centralized plant from different parts of the district. The state government should not promote such units. We need decentralized waste treatment units.”
Although the noise and dust caused by the violent protests have subsided, work at the factory has not yet resumed. The District-level Facilitation and Monitoring Committee has given its approval after inspection conducted by Kerala State Pollution Control Board and Suchitva Mission. However, factory officials say the unit will start functioning only after a complete safety audit, as some parts of the building have been damaged by the fire.
Sreejeet and other members of the Action Council will recover from their injuries and will come back to life in the near future. However, the horrific memories of October 21 are unlikely to fade any time soon.
