CHENNAI: Traditional fisherfolk from villages between Kanathur Reddikuppam and Kokkilimedu have urged the fisheries department not to issue a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the proposed Mamallan reservoir, warning that it would seriously affect their livelihoods.
In a representation to the state on Thursday, they said the reservoir project had already received Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance from the State Coastal Zone Management Authority in December 2025.
As per the petition, the proposed project site is a vital fish breeding habitat and has been used for fishing by fisherfolk and the Irula community for generations. The communities said the stretch from Kanathur Reddikuppam to Kokkilimedu Kuppam constitutes their primary fishing ground.
The petitioners argued that protecting these traditional fishing areas is one of the key responsibilities of the fisheries department. Citing the CRZ Notification, 2019, they said traditional fishing grounds are required to be clearly identified and recorded in the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) and urged the department to officially map and include their fishing areas in the CZMP.