Chennai fishermen plan black-flag protest over proposed Foreshore Estate Secretariat

Fishermen from villages between Nochikuppam and Srinivasapuram in Chennai plan to hold a black-flag protest on Sunday against the proposed Secretariat at Foreshore Estate, The Hindu reported. The fishermen have asked residents across the affected villages to stage peaceful demonstrations. Their objections centre on the proposed development and what they say is the need to protect land and housing for fishing communities along the Marina Loop Road.

They are demanding that the State government return lands belonging to Mullikuppam and Mullimanagar to the villages and reserve them for future expansion. They are also seeking the construction of houses for fishermen living beside the Loop Road. According to the report, many of those homes were built 40 to 50 years ago.

The fishermen’s housing demand is therefore linked to the condition and future of existing settlements, although the source does not provide an assessment of the homes or details of any government housing plan. Fishermen’s representatives said they had submitted their demands to the Chief Minister’s Special Cell. Leaders G.R.

Vijayan and K. Bharathi said they hoped the government would make a positive decision and appoint someone to hear their grievances before proceeding with a major decision. The leaders said the protests were being held because, in their view, the stakeholders had not been consulted.

They called for engagement with the communities before decisions affecting the area are taken. Villages listed as planning further protests include Nochikuppam, Bhavanikuppam, Domingkuppam, Rajiv Gandhi Nagar, Mullikuppam or Srinivasapuram, Mullimanagar, Nambikai Nagar, Selvarajpuram and Irudayapuram. The demonstrations are intended to draw the attention of Chief Minister C.

Joseph Vijay.