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Fishermen of Nochikuppam and other fishing hamlets along the Marina Loop Road have urged Chief Minister M. K. Stalin to form a special fisheries development and economic zone for the entire stretch.
In a petition submitted to Mr. Stalin, they said that no other activity should be permitted in the area. They wanted specific zones to be demarcated for various fishing activities, including fish landing, parking of boats, drying of fish, mending of nets and sale of fish. This was to be done according to the CRZ notification of 2011 and based on GIS mapping. A Madras High Court order of 2020 in this regard must be implemented, they said. The special zone must be on the lines of the special zone for agriculture in the Delta districts.
Office-bearers of Nochikuppam village panchayat wanted the lands taken over by the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board to be handed back to them.
“Each time they take lands for constructing houses for fishermen, they take additional lands and we end up losing those to various government departments. So far, the promised community halls, play grounds for children, anganwadis, and PHCs have not seen the light of the day,” said an office-bearer.
The fishermen wanted the Santhome High Road to be widened to reduce traffic congestion and ensure that the livelihood and lives of the fishing communities remain undisturbed.
Ministers Ma. Subramanian and Durai Murugan, DMK leaders R.S. Bharathi and T.K.S. Elangovan , Member of Parliament Dayanidhi Maran and Mylapore MLA T. Velu were present.
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