Elangkumaran S

Narrative Cartographies

On May 22, 2018, the 100th day of protest against Sterlite Copper, a Vedanta group copper smelter unit, Thoothukudi witnessed this protest, with 10 people getting killed in police firing when a rally demanding the plant's closure turned violent scenario. The protestors want Sterlite’s copper smelting unit in Thoothukudi shut down as it was causing environmental damage to the area. The company has been accused of being lax regarding environmental regulations, causing detriment to the health of the locals in and around Thoothukudi. The crux is to create a visual dialogue of what the protesters went through bringing in not only the physical aspects of violence but also the human perceptions within the space during the protest march to the Collector's office.