MADURAI: Quashing an FIR registered against two people for protesting against pollution caused by the construction of a thermal power plant at Uppur in Ramanathapuram district, Madras high court observed that instead of taking action against the person who caused pollution, the police have registered a case against the agitating villagers.
The court was hearing the petition filed by Ananth and Panjakalyani who sought quashing of the FIR registered against them by Thirupalaikudi police in 2020. The petitioners along with 150 others including women and children carried out a protest against the pollution caused during construction of the plant.
They said the contractors were dumping waste and soil into the sea to construct a bridge, thereby causing huge damage to the sea ecosystem. This would affect the Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar. Instead of taking action against the people who caused the pollution under Wildlife Protection Act, a case was registered against them for carrying out a protest.
Justice R Tharani observed that a perusal of the records revealed that a representation was made regarding the pollution in the coastal regulation zone in 2019. Complaints were given to the superintendent of police regarding the pollution in 2020. As many as 150 people including women and children were involved in the agitation and two FIRs were registered.
Taking into account that a connected FIR was already quashed by the court and that the chargesheet filed was yet to be taken on file by the trial court, the judge quashed the FIR registered against the petitioners.
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