Fishermen associations meet in Kanyakumari today to oppose hydrocarbon project

Chennai, May 11 Fisherfolk associations in Tamil Nadu’s Kanyakumari district are stepping up their protest against the Centre’s proposed hydrocarbon exploration project in the Kanyakumari sea.

A crucial meeting is being held on Sunday in Kanyakumari, where fishermen federations, coastal village representatives, and leaders from neighbouring Kerala are expected to finalise their stance and future course of action.

A. Dunston, Director of the Coastal Peace and Development (CPD), said the meeting will involve several stakeholders and will focus on mobilising collective opposition to the project.

“We are uniting federations and associations from across the region to send a clear message that this project threatens our lives and livelihood,” he said.

The proposed hydrocarbon project stems from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas’s (MOPNG) 2023 Notice Inviting Offers under the Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP).

The offer pertains to oil and gas exploration in three offshore blocks south of Cape Comorin, spanning nearly 27,154.80 square kilometres.

Environmental activists and local leaders warn that the project will have devastating consequences, particularly for the Wadge Bank, a biologically rich and ecologically sensitive marine zone located near Cape Comorin.

S.P. Udayakumar, coordinator of Pachai Tamizhagam, cautioned that any disturbance in the Wadge Bank would impact the marine biodiversity and irreversibly damage the traditional fishing economy.

“This is not just about fishers in Kanyakumari. The ecological damage will affect communities across Tamil Nadu and Kerala,” he said.

C. Berlin, district secretary of Neithal Makkal Iyakkam, echoed similar concerns, stating that the plan would turn the sea into a “marine desert.” He called for the immediate withdrawal of the project to protect the ocean ecosystem.

Captain C. Johnson, secretary of the Colachel Mechanised Fishers Welfare Association, said fishers will be denied access to crucial fishing zones if the project moves ahead. “This is a direct threat to our survival,” he added.

The community has vowed to continue its agitation until the project is scrapped.

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