‘We will not back down’: Kozhikode residents intensify fight against Fresh Cut waste plant

Kozhikode: “We want justice. We deserve clean water to drink, clean air to breathe, and clean soil to live on. If you cannot provide us with even these basic necessities, then kill all of us living in this area. But don’t ever think that we will end our struggle, accept defeat, and back down.”

The determined voice of homemaker Mini Sunny rang out across both banks of the Iruthullippuzha, rising above the roar of torrential rain that lashed the river.

Hundreds of residents, including women from the riverbanks and a large number of young people, sat through the relentless downpour, refusing to move from the entrance to the poultry waste processing plant of Fresh Cut Organic Products Pvt Ltd, near Ambayathod in Kattippara panchayat of Thamarassery.

They raised their voices in unison, declaring that the plant, which they allege is threatening to pollute their pristine river and the fragile ecosystem of their green village surroundings, would never again be allowed to operate there.

Although the company managed to secure a stay order against the closure notice issued by the Kerala State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) on Thursday, the protesters made it clear that there was no room for compromise. The company must move out of the area, they said. Until that happens, the protest will continue.

Local residents have been protesting against the facility for more than seven years. In October 2025, a protest turned violent when residents blocked a lorry carrying poultry waste to the plant. Police intervened, clashes followed, and the plant was set on fire. Although the Kattippara Grama Panchayat had cancelled the company’s licence, the facility later obtained approval from higher authorities. The waste-management situation worsened further after heavy rain in the region last week caused the river to overflow.

“Heavy rain had lashed the hilly region since the previous Friday, causing the river to overflow its banks. As the floodwaters surged, they inundated the plant's waste storage facility, allowing the stored waste to mix with the river water. The contaminated floodwater spread across the entire village and flowed downstream, directly affecting nearly 4,000 families. The pollution also tainted the drinking water sources of around 50 settlements located along the riverbanks," Mini Sunny, a local resident, said.

“Children in the area are suffering from breathing difficulties and allergies, with even young children requiring inhalers. Despite the scale of the disaster, the secretary of the Kattippara Grama Panchayat submitted a report supporting the plant management, a move that helped the company secure a stay order from the High Court,” Mini Sunny said, barely containing her anger.

The report submitted by the Kattippara Grama Panchayat secretary clearly stated that there was no indication of waste being drained from the Fresh Cut plant, and the High Court highlighted this finding while issuing a stay order for the closure notice by KSPCB.

However, according to local residents, the company clearly violated the rule and continued its operations until the night of August 1 and was forced to stop only after the river overflowed following heavy rain.

“We were relieved when the Pollution Control Board issued a closure notice to the company days ago, but our relief was short-lived after the company secured a stay order. The move by the Kattippara Grama Panchayat secretary was favourable to the company, and the report was totally misleading. We strongly protest this decision. We will not stop our fight until the plant is relocated from here,” said Kavya V, a local resident and chairperson of the Health Standing Committee of Thamarassery Grama Panchayat.

When the indefinite blockade protest in front of the plant resumed on Friday after several weeks, Koduvally MLA P K Firos and Thiruvambady MLA C K Kasim joined the protest and expressed solidarity with the protesters.

The Koduvally legislator said the previous LDF government had failed to take effective measures to prevent pollution allegedly caused by the company, while the UDF government's efforts led to the KSPCB issuing the closure notice.

“The UDF government has decided to stop the company, and the Pollution Control Board subsequently issued a closure notice. However, the very next day, the company managed to secure a stay order with the help of the Kattippara panchayat secretary, who issued a certificate stating that the company had never polluted the river. This was absolutely wrong. We strongly demand that the company should not be allowed to reopen until the court passes its final order. The plant must remain closed until the court hearing on August 13,” he said.

The action council is planning to continue its indefinite blockade until the government takes a decision on the permanent closure of the company.

“We want the state government to intervene and ensure the permanent closure of the company. We are now planning to approach the court with evidence of the company polluting the river and surrounding areas. The company is hiding facts and misleading panchayat officials. It is also misleading the High Court by concealing crucial facts. We have no trust in the company and will approach the court seeking its permanent closure. We will continue our protest until we achieve that goal,” said Mujeeb K K, treasurer of the action council.

While staying the KSPCB’s closure notice, the High Court had directed the Board’s district office to appoint an environmental engineer to inspect the site and submit a report on the situation in the area ahead of the next hearing.

Officials are expected to visit the site in the coming days, even as protests intensify and pressure mounts on the authorities to take decisive action over the alleged pollution. The inspection and the report to be submitted by the environmental engineer are likely to be crucial ahead of the next court hearing.