World Cup football fans of Pullavoor in Kerala's Kozhikode district have not been bogged down by the alleged threat of legal action over two massive cut-outs of global superstars Lionel Messi and Neymar that they erected in a river.
Just a day after it emerged that an activist has urged the local body to have the cut-outs removed as it allegedly obstructs the natural flow of the river, the youngsters of the region, in a show of defiance, have erected an even bigger cut-out. This time, it is another superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo.
While the Messi cut-out, the first to be planted in the river, was 30 feet, and the Neymar one was 5 feet taller, the Ronaldo version is understood to be closer to 50 feet.
"The Ronaldo cut-out is a collective effort of football fans, not just CR7 fans. We already have Messi and Neymar and everyone agreed that Ronaldo should also come up," said Naveed, one of the youngsters who worked behind erecting the latest cut-out.
Incidentally, there has also been confusion as to who has jurisdiction over the part of Cherupuzha where these cut-outs have come up.
It was the Chathamangalam Grama Panchayat that had received a notice from the activist. But now the Koduvally Municipality has stepped in.
"This part of the river and both the banks belong to the Koduvally Municipality," V Abdurahiman, chairperson of the Municipality told Onmanorama.
He, however, said they are yet to receive any legal notice. In any case, they do not find the activity harmful to the environment. "I went there and we don't think it obstructs the flow of the river or causes any other trouble. It is important to know that there is so much negativity in society, including drug abuse and so if our youngsters are finding happiness by doing something positive, it has to be promoted," said Abdurahiman.
