CHENNAI: The Pazhaverkadu Fishermen Federation wrote to the State government against removing the 10-km protective buffer zone around the Pulicat bird sanctuary, stating this "would destroy their livelihood".
The federation, comprising of fishermen from various villages in the Ponneri taluk of Tiruvallur district, urged the government to fulfil their long-pending demands including dropping the Adani port expansion project and taking steps to open the mouth of the estuary permanently.
They also urged the government to retain the 10-km eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) around the waterbody apart from announcing the northern side of Kaatupalli port as erosion-prone and introducing measures to control it.
"We put forth our demands before the previous government too and even staged protests. MK Stalin, who was the Opposition leader then, promised us that the Adani port expansion project would be cancelled once the DMK came to power," the fishermen said.
However, we are now receiving information that the government is planning to reduce the 10-km buffer zone around the sanctuary to zero with an intention to bring industries to the locality, contrary to the promise made by the Chief Minister. Pulicat lagoon system provides livelihood to more than one lakh fishermen and the government should protect it, added the statement.