NEW DELHI:
A national body for fishworkers held a protest here today against the Centre’s “large-scale industrialisation proposal” in coastal areas, alleging the move will not only “hurt” them but will also “destroy” the country’s vulnerable coastline.
“NDA government is trying to fool the coastal people by proposing unviable projects. And ‘Sagarmala’ will effectively promote real estate projects,” the National Fishworkers’ Forum alleged.
Sagarmala project is a strategic and customer-oriented initiative of the Centre to modernise ports so that port-led development can be augmented and coastlines can be developed. 
Scores of representatives of fishing bodies from Maharashtra, Puducherry, and fishworkers from Tamil Nadu, Kerala and other coastal states, also took part in the protest meet at the Jantar Mantar, called by the NFF, and it was addressed by three MPs from Kerala.
Congress MP from Alappuzha, K C Venugopal, said, “Our party stands in solidarity with the fishing community, inside and outside of Parliament. And, we totally support this agitation for your rights.”
“I have raised the issue of fishermen in Parliament earlier also. And, (Vice President) Rahul Gandhiji and (President) Soniaji have always stood for your rights, and we are with the fishing community,” he said.
The community has also demanded that a separate ministry be constituted for fishery in the central government and that the Sagarmala project be withdrawn.
NFF Chairperson M Ilango and its Secretary T Peter later led a brief protest march, but the crowd was restricted by police at the end of the Jantar Mantar Road.
“‘Sagarmala’ needs serious national assessment, from its different complexities. The industrial corridors, the economic corridors, smart cities, coastal investment regions like PCPIR (Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemical Investment Region) and Sagarmala are all part of the larger plan for industrialisation, which will destroy India’s vulnerable coastline,” the NFF has alleged.
CPM leader and Attingal MP from Kerala, A Sampath, said, “This was a fight for the nation, and protecting our seas and rivers, and a fight for sovereignty and a fight against the crorepatis and multi and tran-national companies, who should not take away your seas and rivers.”
The NFF leaders also alleged that the NDA government’s demonetisation move, under the pretext of curtailing black money, is “hurting the fishing community” across the country – other than many formal and informal production sectors.
The NFF also alleged that various projects were being made to “benefit private players” in port business.
“We demand that the viability studies be made public and the local community consent be made mandatory before going ahead with these unviable projects. Immediate cessation of all construction related activities must be done,” the NFF said.
