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Fishermen from more than 10 fishing hamlets in Chennai's Pattinapakkam area on Tuesday are opposed to the Tamil Nadu government's proposed plan to construct a new Secretariat complex in the locality and demanded withdrawal of the government order issued for the project.
The fishermen, after a consultation meeting attended by representatives of several fishing villages at the beach, jointly addressed the media and warned of a major statewide protest if the order was not revoked by September 21. The representatives said the government had issued an order around 15 days ago proposing the construction of a new Secretariat at Pattinapakkam at an estimated cost of Rs 1,200 crore. They claimed that the project would adversely affect the livelihood of fishing communities in the area and disrupt the lives of nearly 20,000 schoolchildren. "We are already facing restrictions in carrying out our profession and selling fish due to the presence of the Chief Minister's residence in the area. If the Secretariat is constructed here, our freedom will be further affected," the fishermen said. They alleged that the fishing community was already facing pressure from the police and the Fisheries Department, especially during major government events. "From Nochikuppam to Mulli Kuppam, fishermen are being affected. When the Chief Minister goes to the Secretariat area to hoist the national flag on Independence Day, the Fisheries Department tells us not to go fishing. We are already facing considerable pressure from the police," they alleged. The fishermen said the proposed project would further impact their traditional livelihood and create difficulties for residents of the coastal settlements. They demanded that the government immediately withdraw the order and warned that fishermen across Tamil Nadu would hold a large-scale protest if their demand was not addressed by September 21. (ANI)
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