They urge govt to instruct TNPCB not to give clearance

Residents of villages around the site of the proposed India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) in Theni district staged a demonstration at T. Pudukottai on Saturday urging the State government to instruct the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board not to give environmental clearance for the project.

Earlier in the day, people from T. Pudukottai went up the Ambarappar hill, where the INO is to come up, to offer worship to Ambarappa Perumal for the High Court stay of the project work. The police persuaded them to come down as it was a prohibited area and permission should be obtained to enter it. However, people argued that they were traditionally lighting lamps at the temple on Saturdays of the Tamil month of Panguni and the right should not be denied.

Later, residents of T. Pudukottai were joined by those from Ramakrishnapuram, Pottipuram, Chinna Pottipuram, Thimmi Naickenpatti and Kuppan Asaripatti in a demonstration from 8 a.m. to 10.30 a.m. near the prohibited area at T. Pudukottai. The site for the proposed INO begins at T. Pudukottai.

According to the police, people who went up the hill were asked to vacate as it was a prohibited area. When they came down, they staged a demonstration

. They wanted the government not to give environmental clearance and thanked the general secretary of Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Vaiko, for obtaining a court restraint on the project.