Stop port expansion, Pulicat fishermen urge CM

‘Livelihood of over one lakh people at stake’

Fishermen ofPulicathave urged Chief MinisterM.K. Stalinto take steps to stop theproposedexpansion of a privateport in Tiruvallur district.They said the proposal will lead to loss of livelihood to overonelakh personsin the area and also hasten coastal erosion.

C. Paranthaman of theMeenavaKootamaippu said that residents had planned topass a resolution on January 26 during the gram sabha. “If in case due to COVID-19 restrictions, the gramsabhameeting does not happen, we have sentletters to the Chief Minister and the Tiruvallur Collector two days ago. We are only reminding Mr. Stalin that he had opposed the proposal when he was Leader of Opposition,” he said.

Fishermen said they were rumours of 700 acres of land being handed over to the port authorities and that has made them to write to the Chief Minister again. The local MLA too supported the fishermen in this endeavour, he added. Residents of Pulicat, who are already facing issues due to silting up of the lake and closing of the estuary, have been against this proposal.

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