[Reader-list] Protest against proposal for land reclamation

[T Peter]

*Protest against proposal for land reclamation *

*Date:18/07/2009* *URL:
http://www.thehindu.com/2009/07/18/stories/2009071852670600.htm*
Special Correspondent

   Thiruvananthapuram: Fishworkers from across the district participated in
a dharna organised by the Kerala Swathantra Matsya Thozhilali Federation
(KSMTF) in front of the Secretariat here on Friday in protest against the
move to reclaim 5,000 hectares from the sea off the Veli-Thumba stretch of
the coast.

Inaugurating the dharna, KSMTF State president T.Peter said fishworkers
would mobilise themselves to resist the proposal mooted by the Kerala
Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Kinfra). He said the
project would deprive thousands of fishworkers of their livelihood.

“Reclamation of 5,000 hectares will require dredging of another 5,000
hectares. This will lead to irreversible environmental impact on the land as
well as the sea. The project will also deplete fish stocks and expose other
areas of the coast to increased erosion,” he said.

KSMTF leaders Anto Elias, J.P.John, Freesca Kurisappan, Maglene Peter,
Patrick Fernandez and Jensila Antony also addressed the dharna.

Kinfra had invited bids for consultancy to prepare a pre-feasibility report
on the reclamation project that seeks to create the required area for
expansion of the international airport, in addition to providing for housing
and commercial development along the waterfront, with attractive leisure,
recreation and entertainment facilities and open spaces.
Infiltration

 Fishworkers maintain that the reclamation of land from the sea near the
Thumba coast would open up an infiltration route for terrorists, posing a
major security threat for the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC). They also
claim that it would be a violation of the Coastal Regulation Zone norms.

Kinfra sources, however, observe that an agitation against the project at
this stage was unwarranted.

They point out that the pre-feasibility study was aimed at assessing the
impact of the project on the environment as well as the livelihood of the
coastal communities.
“The government can drop the proposal if any negative impact is reported by
the study,” a Kinfra spokesman said.


http://www.keralafishworkers.org
http://www.alakal.net