Large sections of the fishermen community in Thiruvananthapuram believe that the breaching waters of the Vizhinjam port are responsible for the intensification of coastal erosion, which has led to the disappearance of sandy beaches and the loss of livelihoods.
Large sections of the fishermen community in Thiruvananthapuram believe that the breaching waters of the Vizhinjam port are responsible for the intensification of coastal erosion, which has led to the disappearance of sandy beaches and the loss of livelihoods.
A black flag flies high over the remains of a groan that extends a few meters into the sea, opposite the grand bulk of St. Thomas’ Church in Poonthura, a densely populated fishing village by the sea. Thiruvananthapuram in the shore Kerala,
The flag, a local fisherman explained on Wednesday, is meant to remind people Protests further south in Vizhinjam against the huge port Made by Adani Group. Nearby, several fishing boats have been dragged into the church premises.
“We cannot release them from here into the sea anymore. There is no beach left. Coastal erosion is so severe in these parts,” says Nelson, a fisherman.
Hugging the sea wall down a narrow alley, another fisherman draws attention to his house, whose roof is tightly wrapped in blue tarpaulin to protect it from the waves. “By the time the construction of the harbor is finished, it will all be gone,” says the fisherman, who identified himself as Benjamin, pointing to the line of tiny houses and huts beside the sea wall. .
conviction
A large section of the fishing community here firmly believes that construction of port breakwater It is responsible for the intensity of coastal erosion, which has led to the disappearance of their sandy beaches and livelihoods. They are deeply annoyed by the government’s reluctance to accept their arguments.
,Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan claims outsiders are behind the movement, There is no outsider among them. The government has failed to keep its promises made to the fishermen community,” says another fisherman.
On 16 August, under the auspices of the Action Council led by the Latin Archdiocese, the fishing community launched an open movement outside the port gates in Vizhinjam. Their primary demand: to postpone the port construction and to assess the impact in consultation with the local people.
Read also: Climate change responsible for coastal erosion: Study
other demands
Fishermen and civilians laid siege to Adani port using their fishing boats. photo credit: PTI
Other demands include Rehabilitation Package for Affected FamiliesSubsidy on kerosene supply, minimum wages for fishermen when bad weather forces them to stay indoors, rectification of design flaws in Muthalappozhi fishery port and steps for quick compensation for fishermen.
Read also: Death trap for Muthlapozhi fishermen: Opposition
On 19 August, Fisheries Minister V. Abdurhiman held talks with church representatives, but they failed to withdraw the protest. The Vicar General of the Latin Archdiocese of Thiruvananthapuram, Eugene Pereira, later called the talks “fruitful” and announced that the protests would continue until the demands were met.
In Vizhinjam, fishermen allege that the L-shaped, partly formed breakwater has significantly altered wave patterns and brought subsurface sedimentation, endangering sea-going four-person fishing boats.
“Many people have already lost their lives in the water in the early hours. Earlier, we were able to make landfall with our eyes closed. Now it is dangerous even in the daytime,” says 59-year-old Javier, who first took a sea walk at the age of 14. “There used to be sandy beaches where we used to play football,” he says.
kerosene oil prices
Rising kerosene prices are a major source of complaints from fishermen. They say that when their counterparts in Tamil Nadu get it for ₹35 or ₹40, they are forced to spend ₹130 per liter of fuel.
The fishermen of Poonthura tell that every time a boat sets out for fishing, it needs 50 liters of kerosene. Since small craft are unable to launch from Punthura, fishermen are forced to sail to the port of Vizhinjam with nets in their outboard engines and pick-up autos.
“The journey up and down alone costs around ₹2,000. Add to this the cost of kerosene and food, you only need around Rs 9,000 to go to sea,” says Benjamin.