ADANI’S LEGAL ACTIONS

The Indian protests recall the backlash Adani faced in Australia over his Carmichael coal mine. There, activists concerned about carbon emissions and damage to the Great Barrier Reef forced Adani to downsize production targets and delayed the mine’s first coal shipment by six years.

In Kerala, the Adani conglomerate which is shouldering a third of the project’s cost with the rest borne by the state and federal governments has repeatedly sought relief from the state’s court.

In filings, it has claimed the protests have caused “immense loss” and “considerable delay” to the project, adding that protesters have warned port officials of “dire consequences” and pose a “constant and continuous militant” threat.

An Oct 27 “land and sea protest” saw protesters burn a fishing boat and more than 1,500 people break into the port’s grounds with some carrying iron rods to the main gate, according to the filings.

Asked about the claim, Pereira said: “We do not endorse or promote any sort of violence. Our protests have been peaceful all along.”

Accusing the Kerala state police of being “mute spectators”, the Adani conglomerate has also called for federal police to be brought in. The court’s next hearing on Adani’s complaints is slated for Monday.

For the time being, the tense standoff continues, with protesters saying they can congregate quickly if police move to dismantle the shelter. The site has four CCTV cameras providing a live feed so protest leaders can keep tabs on the situation with their phones.

“We’re prepared to go to any lengths to protect our livelihood. It’s a matter of do or die,” says Joseph Johnson, a protesting fisherman.