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Visakhapatnam, Aug. 24 Leaders of fishermen and other coastal communities, NGOs and environmentalists have urged the Andhra Pradesh Government to give up the coastal industrial corridor proposal, as it will not only adversely affect the livelihood of coastal communities but will also lead to the devastation of the fragile marine ecological systems.

At the conclusion of a two-day workshop on the coastal corridor, which was conducted by the Keratam network and Action Aid here on Sunday, a resolution was passed to mobilise the fishermen and other affected sections along the nine coastal districts from Srikakulam to Nellore for opposing the coastal corridor proposal.

Dr T. Patanjali Sastry of the Centre for Environment, Rajahmundry, said no heed was being paid to the location of industries and there was absolutely no justification for locating chemical and petrochemical industries on the coast.

“Agriculture and fisheries will be imperilled and mangroves destroyed.

“Fishermen, weavers and other marginalised sections will be hit hard first and all others subsequently. The so-called gains, such as employment generation, are illusionary,” he said.

Commending the move of the State Government to get fishermen categorised as the Scheduled Tribes, Dr Sastry pointed out that whereas the STs in forests had a statutorily guaranteed right over the minor forest produce, “the fishermen have no such right over the ocean or the coast.

“I think the Government should provide some statutory protection to the fishermen and their hamlets should be considered scheduled areas. There should not be any displacement, or denial of access to the sea, in such areas for whatever reason.”

Mr Arjili Das, Convenor of AP Traditional Fishermen’s Association, said that fishermen would become things of the past and relics, if the coastal corridor proposal were to be implemented and SEZs came up along the coast.

He also deplored the Union Government’s move to scrap the coastal regulatory zone notification and issue in its place the coastal management zone notification.

He also condemned the move to set up thermal plants on the coast in Srikakulam and Krishna districts.

Mr T. Sankar and Mr Ismail, convenors of Keratam network, said there was ample evidence in Visakhapatnam and East Godavari districts to show that industrial activity was taking a heavy toll on the marine resources and “yet the State Government is going ahead obstinately with the coastal corridor proposal”.

The recent announcement of the State Revenue Minister, Mr D. Prasada Rao, that there would be no more acquisition of private lands in the coastal corridor was only a pre-election promise and the Government would revert to its old ways after the poll, they said.

Several others spoke at length on the disastrous consequences of the proposed coastal corridor and how it would ruin more than 500 fishing villages and hamlets along the 1,000-km AP coast.

More Stories on : Infrastructure | Environment | Andhra Pradesh

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