OREANDA-NEWS. The issue over the expansion plan of Indian Oil Corporations's (IOC) bottling plant at Chelari is unlikely to be resolved soon, as the Thenjippalam panchayat decided to stick on to its earlier stand to oppose the move of IOC, at a special meeting convened on Tuesday.

The meeting was convened following the direction of high court that to take immediate steps to resolve the issue at the earliest. The representatives of different political parties who attended the meeting have supported the decision of panchayat. As the panchayat has decided to go ahead with the protest against the plant, the indefinite hunger stir against the expansion plan would be intensified in the coming days.

It was following the Chala gas tanker mishap in Kannur that claimed 20 lives months ago, the local people of Chelari under the banner of an action council launched a strike demanding government to pressurize IOC to step back from the move to increase the storage capacity of the Chelari plant. But, following the talks between peoples representatives and IOC authorities the issue was almost resolved and the IOC authorities had stopped the expansion works.

But the protesters are alleging that the plant authorities still continuing the expansion works, neglecting the High Court verdict in favour of the protesters. The president of the panchayat P Firoz said the panchayat will continue its fight against the expansion, which will affect thousands of people in and around Chelari.