A sign installed in Pottalurani village demanding the closure of the fish waste processing units.
| Photo Credit: N. Rajesh
For the second consecutive time, the residents of Pottalurani village, which falls under Ottapidaram Assembly constituency in Thoothukudi district, have announced that they would boycott the election, as their long-pending demand for the closure of fish waste processing units near the village remains unaddressed by the government. More than 900 people had boycotted the Lok Sabha election in 2024 over the same issue.
The residents have been demanding the closure of fish waste processing units near the village since 2019, and have submitted multiple petitions in this regard. However, the protest intensified in early 2024 ahead of the Lok Sabha election. They have also raised several other demands.
Panchayat bifurcation
This includes bifurcation of the Ellainayakkanpatti village panchayat to form a separate Pottalurani panchayat and withdrawal of cases filed against the residents during the course of protest.
According to the final electoral roll released in February 2026, the village has 912 voters — 422 men and 490 women.
Three units
A. Shanmugam, a resident of the village, said there were three fish waste processing units currently functioning near the village, including two units in Vadakku Karaseri and one in Pottalurani junction.
“Residents have been put to hardship because of the foul stench emanating from all three units. This is affecting the health of many people,” he said.
He noted that two units in Vadakku Karaseri, located barely a kilometre from Pottalurani, functioned on agricultural lands, with farmers from the village facing difficulties during the cultivation season.
“In addition, we want Pottalurani to be separated from Ellainayakkanpatti panchayat and declared a separate village panchayat, as government projects are not properly implemented in the village. The village also faces infrastructural issues such as lack of street lights and a drinking water supply,” Mr. Shanmugam added.
E. Sankaranarayanan, another resident, said: “All false cases registered against the villagers who participated in the protest must be withdrawn.”
He added that the primary demand of the villagers was the closure of fish waste processing units, and if this demand was met before the election, the residents would participate in the polling process.
Published – March 22, 2026 12:26 am IST
