CHENNAI: The fishermen of Nochikuppam in Chennai have objected to unauthorised construction by the Chennai Corporation on the western side of the Loop road as it is being done without Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) permission. The corporation is building a platform to regulate fish vendors.
Only recently, there were massive protests objecting to the high court directions to the corporation to remove fishers’ stalls. Later, it was decided not to disturb the vendors on the eastern side (beach front) of Marina Loop road until a market is constructed, while pushing vendors on the western side further inland.
South Indian Fishermen Welfare Association president K Bharathi told TNIE that corporation officials have dumped the debris to construct the platform on a narrow strip of the sandy area between their homes and the stormwater drain without holding any consultation.
“The authorities have not taken the fisher folk into confidence. The area where the construction is going is the only space available for rainwater to seep in. Everything else is concreted. Even if they want to build, let them do it after taking necessary permissions,” he said, and submitted a petition to the collector and the director of the department of environment.
Fishermen leader and CRZ expert K Saravanan said, “As per the approved district coastal zone management plan (CZMP) and the local level CZMP, the area falls in CRZ-2. Although it is a permissible activity, obtaining prior CRZ clearance is a must.”
A TNPCB assistant executive engineer visited the site on Saturday while work was in progress. Corporation officials said they were only following court orders. On April 19, an affidavit was filed in HC by the corporation commissioner stating it would regulate fish stalls. The next date for the hearing is on Monday.