The Hindu Business Line : Fishermen object to Vizag textile park

FISHERMEN REGISTER their protest against discharge of effluents into the Bay of Bengal at a public hearing conducted in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday on the proposed apparel park being established by Brandix Lanka in the Atchyuthapuram and Rambilli mandals of the Visakhapatnam district. - C.V. Subrahmanyam

Visakhapatnam , July 11

Fishermen residing in the Atchyuthapuram and Rambilli mandals of Visakhapatnam district have raised serious objections to the proposed 1,000-acre textile and apparel park, being set up by Brandix Lanka Ltd.

The fishermen voiced the objections at a public hearing conducted by the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board here on Tuesday. They said the effluents from the textile units released into the Bay of Bengal would pose a serious threat to the fish species in the region, consequently affecting their livelihood.

The agitated fishermen raised slogans and wanted postponement of the public hearing, but the Joint Collector, Mr Sandeep Kumar Sultania, said he was not empowered to take such a decision. He told the fishermen that he would convey their apprehension to the Government.

Mr Arjili Das, the leader of the Fishermen's Association, said that the fishermen were being victimised every time the Government took up a new project. "The government is allowing tourist resorts, pharma units, a private port, and other projects along the 136-km coast line in Visakhapatnam district. More than 50,000 traditional fishermen families in 63 villages along the coast in the district are being marginalised in the process. The fish catches are dwindling by the day and they are being denied access to the sea in the name of development," he said.

Another representative, Mr T. Sankar, said that despite the assurances given by scientists and officials, the effluents would certainly pose a threat to fisheries.

Brandix assurance

Earlier, a Brandix representative said that Rs 130 crore would be expended on building up infrastructure in the proposed textile park, which would be developed as an export hub; the total investment would be about Rs 4,000 crore. It would generate employment opportunities for 60,000 people directly and 30,000 indirectly, most of them women. He said there was no need for any apprehension as there would be a common effluent treatment plant and no untreated effluents would be let out into the sea.

Mr V.V. Sarma, a scientist from the National Institute of Oceanography, and Prof Ramakrishna Rao from the Andhra University also sought to reassure the agitated fishermen that there would be no threat to the fish species.

Some women, who lost their lands in the two mandals for the project, sought jobs in the textile units.

More Stories on : Environment | Aquaculture | Textiles | Andhra Pradesh

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