KARAIKAL: Environmentalists and political parties demanded the immediate withdrawal of the draft Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) for Karaikal recently released by the Puducherry government, alleging serious omissions in mapping sand dunes, traditional fishing settlements, and fishing grounds that could threaten the livelihoods and customary rights of coastal communities.
They also demanded the cancellation of the public hearing on CZMP scheduled for November 25, saying the objections and suggestions raised by fishermen, environmental organisations, and the party during previous consultations had not been considered.
The issue came to light after the Puducherry government published a notice in newspapers on October 24 announcing a public hearing on the draft plan. Subsequently, CPI(M) Puducherry State Committee issued a statement demanding the withdrawal of the draft Coastal Zone Management Plan and cancellation of the proposed public hearing.
CPI(M) Puducherry State Secretary S Ramachandran said the draft plan released by the Puducherry Pollution Control Committee under the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification, 2019, was an attempt to impose a flawed plan on the people of Karaikal.
Ramachandran said that the Forest Department’s data continued to contain serious errors, similar to those in the draft plans released in 2023 and 2024. He said the earlier drafts had claimed that there were no sand dunes in Karaikal and said that the latest draft had also omitted over 100 acres of sand dunes.
He further claimed that the existence of traditional fishing villages like Karaikalmedu and Kilinjalmedu had been called into question because of the omissions in the coastal maps.
Prabhakar Jayaprakash, a researcher, raised concerns over the ‘inclusion of traditional fishing areas under the Tourism Department’s control’. He said areas in Keezhakasakudy and Kilinjalmedu, where fishing communities had traditionally practised shore-seine fishing, were being brought under the influence of the Tourism Department.
Questioning the ‘omission of Karaikal’s limited coastal stretch and traditional fishing grounds from the plan,’ the CPI(M) claimed that the move could benefit corporate interests. It linked the omissions to the proposed expansion of the Adani port and plans to establish oil wells offshore, alleging that these projects could facilitate the transfer of Karaikal’s public assets and marine resources to large corporations.
R Mangaiyarselvan of Tamil Fishermen Liberation Panthers raised concerns over ‘omission’ of provisions for fishermen’s future housing schemes in the draft Coastal Zone Management Plan for Karaikal.
He said fishermen traditionally carried out fishing activities across 139.72 square nautical miles of the district’s territorial waters, but the draft plan recognised only 0.56 square nautical miles as fishing areas.
Describing it as a threat to fishermen’s right to livelihood, he demanded that the plan include their traditional coastal rights, provisions for future housing schemes and the entire 139.72 square nautical miles of traditional fishing grounds.
He insisted that the public hearing should be conducted only after these changes were incorporated into the draft plan.