CHENNAI: The fishing community from Nochikuppam staged a road roko and raised slogans on Tuesday against the Greater Chennai Corporation’s (GCC) move to obtain Blue Flag status for a portion of the Marina beach. The protesters urged the state government and GCC officials to prioritise the livelihood of the fishing community over any ‘prestigious’ initiatives.
“Just as a fish caught from the sea suffers and dies on the seashore, our livelihoods will perish if the government drives us away from the beach with such projects,” said Madhavi (name changed), a fisherwoman at the protest site.
The project, with an outlay of `6 crore, will cover the beach from Mahatma Gandhi Statue to Karaneeswarar Koil on Loop Road, and include facilities like grey water treatment plant, solid waste management, recliner chairs with umbrellas, CCTV cameras, and toilets.
The protesters said that the GCC already relocated the fish vendors to the newly constructed fish market on Loop Road and now planned to transform the area into a vibrant public space with cycling and walking paths and green zones.
They said that these projects threatened their livelihood, including their children’s education.
A 55-year-old-vendor said the fishing community was not consulted while constructing the new fish market or the proposed Blue Flag project. She accused the civic body of prioritising aesthetics over needs of the community.
The protesters expressed concern that they would be forced to relocate their boats and restricted from freely accessing the beach for fishing.
The protest was called off after the police assured that corporation officials would hold discussions with them on December 26.