Tension near Calicut Trade Centre over New Year celebrations

Tense protest against unauthorized music night and New Year celebrations at Calicut Trade Centre in Kozhikode.

The premises of Calicut Trade Centre near Sarovaram Biopark in Kozhikode witnessed tense moments on Tuesday evening as local people under the aegis of Sarovaram Environment Protection Committee staged a protest against the mega music night and New Year celebrations at the Trade Centre.

That Fortune Bucket Entertainment Private Ltd., organisers of the event, and Green Metro Developers and Builders, building owners, violated a direct order from the Secretary of the Kozhikode Corporation against holding the event, added to their ire.

The Kozhikode Corporation had on Monday refused to provide a Public Performance Licence (PPR) for the event and had issued a stop memo, citing several complaints from local residents against the event. The organisers immediately approached the Kerala High Court seeking a stay order on the Corporation’s order. However, judge P.M. Manoj issued a stay order on condition that the petitioner complete all other statutory formalities.

The ball once again fell in the court of Corporation Secretary K.U. Bini who denied permission on the grounds that the building was an unauthorised construction, and that the organisers had not produced a sanitation certificate. She also approached the police and requested support to stop the programme.

However, despite the issues, the programme named ‘Road to Free Ground’ took place. Meanwhile, local people assembled outside the Trade Centre raising slogans as the police blocked them, leading to a tense situation.

“The police did not heed the Corporation Secretary’s request for support. Instead, they are standing guard to the people who violated the order,” said M.N. Praveen, Kozhikode Corporation Councillor from the Civil Station ward.

Tension has been brewing in the region for a long time surrounding the Trade Centre and the alleged encroachment of Kottooli wetlands on the east side of the centre. The local residents’ association had joined hands with the Kozhikode Corporation to fight the ongoing encroachment and destruction of mangroves. The Corporation had earlier served a demolition notice to the centre on the grounds that the building was unauthorised and had imposed a fine of around ₹98 lakh.