Thread by @thekaipullai

Have you heard of a village called Sayalkudi? Chances are, you haven't. It's a small village on the East Coast road, from Ramnad to Tuticorin.

It's pretty much a stereotype of a poor Indian village, with less electricity, ladies trekking miles in the hot sun to fetch water, etc.

The village is so poor that the word poor itself will get an inferiority complex.

It was through this village that IOCL decided to lay a gas pipeline last year. The pipeline was to send Natural gas from Ramnad to tuticorin for export.

It was a project that could change lives

The pipeline was more than 100 kms long. The project promised good employment. Localites were going to be given jobs. The project would inject a lot of money, much needed at that, into the local economy.

It was a no brainer that the project had to be started ASAP

What happened?

Protests happened. Villagers started picketing the surveyors. Govt scheduled a meeting with the villagers to clarify all doubts, but localites ensured it didn't happen.

All their protests were based on specious reasons and totally devoid of scientific facts.

All the work on the pipeline has stopped. I can understand if you are protesting against an asbestos factory. But why on earth against a pipeline? You guys are living a miserable life now, why do you want to stop something that will make it better?

I really can't understand

Why I am saying this, because this protest culture is now becoming far more pronounced in TN. And that is the worst thing that can happen to the state. We have always taken pride in TN's industry, but all that work is coming to naught.

TN is going to s***, one protest at a time.