THOOTHUKUDI: After 11 days of indefinite strike, the fisherfolk from Amalinagar have called off their agitation following a peace meeting on Friday. District Collector Dr K Senthil Raj managed to convince the protestors of the mandates laid in place in the recent National Green Tribunal (NGT) orders, said a press statement from the collectorate.
The fishermen began the protest on August 8, demanding the construction of a groyne on the Amalinagar Beach in order to prevent sea erosion and protect their boats when rough waves lash the shores. Last year, Fisheries Minister Anitha R Radhakrishnan had announced to construct a groyne structure at an estimate of `58 crore for Amalinagar and another one at Jeevan Nagar for Rs 25 crore. However, the projects were put on hold after the NGT issued an order mandating the drafting of a shoreline management map.
Meanwhile, Amalinagar Beach began to witness more threatening waves after groynes were constructed at nearby villages. They began the indefinite strike and ignored the collector's call for peace talks on August 8, 15, and 17. During the talks held on Friday, the fisherfolk and their leaders were convinced by the officials' reasoning and announced to withdraw the agitation. They will set sail for fishing from Monday, said Glorian, a representative of the Amalinagar village committee.
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