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Saturday, October 30, 2010
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CRZ: Fishermen to boycott indifferent parties
By S M Arun
30 Oct 2010 03:46:46 AM IST
30 Oct 2010 03:46:46 AM IST
CRZ: Fishermen to boycott indifferent parties
THOOTHUKUDI:: “Fishermen would boycott political parties in Tamil Nadu that remained silent on the anti-fishermen draft CRZ notification 2010,” warned M Pushparayan, convenor of Coastal People’s Federation in Thoothukudi on Friday.
Speaking to Express on the sidelines of a massive fishermen’s demonstration, Pushparayan charged that even though 45 days have passed since the draft of the draft CRZ notification 2010 was released, political parties which knocked the doors of every fisherman, were unmindful of the fishermen’s feelings. “We are deeply pained at the silence of political parties and we will convey our strong condemnation to the parties through this demonstration,” he said.
Pushparayan alleged that political parties were adopting ‘double standards’ as they lacked the courage to give any opinion on the draft CRZ notification 2010 . “Parties just get votes from fishermen and remained silent when the rights of fishermen were suppressed through such Acts,” he told Express, adding, “fishermen will boycott such parties in the 2011 elections.”
He charged that the Act aimed at wiping out traditional fishing and termed it as ‘draconian’ since it incorporated all provisions of earlier Acts such as Marine Fisheries Bill-2009 and CMZ Act 2008, which were also rejected by the fishing community. Earlier, a demonstration was held before the Thoothukudi old corporation building, demanding repeal of the Act.
© Copyright 2008 ExpressBuzz
Monday, October 25, 2010
Fishermen’s stir against CRZ Act
By Express News Service
25 Oct 2010 12:09:23 AM IST
Fishermen’s stir against CRZ Act
RAMANATHAPURAM: A large number of fishermen staged a demonstration here on Sunday protesting the government attempt to implement Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Act 2010.
Presiding over the demonstration, Ramanathapuram District Fish Workers Trade Union (RFTU) president Paulsamy said that the government had introduced the CRZ Act in 1991 which was welcomed by fishermen community.
However, the government failed to implement the Act at that time and was trying to introduce the modified CRZ Act 2010 at present, he said and pointed out that the fishermen community would be removed from the coastal villages for establishing chemical factories and beach tourism on the shores. Therefore, he charged, the fishermen would become refugees in their own land and the marine wealth would be affected if the new Act was implemented.
The fishermen have decided to stage a demonstration in all the coastal areas of the country on October 29 and they would resort to a nationwide strike if the government failed to withdraw the new Act, he warned.
© Copyright 2008 ExpressBuzz
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Mega Rally Against Sterlite Copper Smelter in Thoothukudi, Tamilnadu
Rally led by Fatima Babu, ordinator, Thoothukudi District Anti-Sterlite Struggle Committee
Inspirational Speech: Com. Nallakannu, Communist Party of India
Monday, October 11, 2010
Fishermen will be reduced to coolies in trawlers
By Sangeetha Neeraja
11 Oct 2010 04:54:51 AM IST
Fishermen will be reduced to coolies in trawlers
CHENNAI: Mega projects along the coast, implemented in violation of existing norms, have the potential to rob poor, hardworking people of their dignity. Tales of once self-reliant people, who lost their livelihood, are many and no celluloid tragedy could be more poignant these real stories.
Take Vadivu (34). She was once a fisherwoman selling fish that her husband brought from the sea and the family was earning an average of Rs 10,000 a month. Today she is picking rags to survive and to keep her two children in school. Her’s was one of the 280 fishermen families evacuated from Kattupalli and relocated to a settlement in the middle of nowhere, to make way for what is billed as India’s biggest shipbuilding facility by Larsen and Toubro Ltd (L&T) at a cost of Rs 3,375 crore in about 1,500 acres near Ennore.
Vadivu says: “The company has relocated us in a place near Kalanji, 4 km from the sea and 20 km from Ennore. We do not have any bus service in this area and no school for our children. We have to take only the mini tempos that pass this way to reach Ennore, and our men who now work in the construction site of L&T bring home around Rs 4,000 a month, which is not enough to feed the family. So the women have now taken to rag-picking and collecting sea shells.”
Before relocation, they had nutritious food with fish forming part of the menu. They are now surviving on cheap vegetables, whose prices are forever on the rise. Vadiu’s children aged 7 and 5, everyday take a tempo to reach Aathipattu Pudunagar, from where they take a train to reach their school in Ennore.
“The tempo fare per day for two children is Rs 60. Life has become extremely difficult. In Kattupalli, there was a school at walking distance. Many children have already dropped out of school because of the distance. Except for four persons who are still walking 4 km to do fishing, everybody has joined the ranks of construction work provided by the L&T. What will happen to us after the completion of the shipyard construction? Who will give us employment after that?” asks Vadivu.
Now with the government planning to amend the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms, there is a possibility of more development projects like multi-purpose ports, buildings by shipping companies, desalination plants, power plants, resorts, hotels and express highways coming up on the coast, leading to massive displacement of traditional fishermen out of their homes.
Most fishermen fear that this could soon become a reality. According to Pushparayan of Coastal People’s Federation, “The Tamil Nadu government in its 2010-2011 budget had announced multi-purpose ports — seven in Thoothukudi, four in Kanyakumari, three in Ramnad, and one in Tirunelveli. Already with the expansion of the Thoothukudi harbour, fishermen have been barred from fishing within three nautical miles in the sea, which is very rich in crabs and prawns.
In Vembar in Tuticorin, a gas plant by Indian Power Project Ltd is coming up. “Development projects along the coast will increase sea erosion. To stop it, they will cover the seashore with rocks, denying fishermen the opportunity of fishing around the area,” he points out.
Johnson (50), a fisherman from Thoothukudi, says: “The way industrial development is happening along the coast, traditional fishermen will be reduced to coolies in trawlers. Even that will come to an end in another 10 years as there will be no fish, going by the way trawlers are completely destroying the seabed, wiping it clean of the flora and fauna on which fish thrives. The traditional method of fishing is the only way to sustain the ecosystem, but sadly nobody is listening.”
Yet, the Tamil Nadu government is firm on industrialising the coast, argue activists. The Tamil Nadu Maritime Board has a Minor Port Development Policy, which is focused on encouraging setting up of captive ports, jetties and moorings for the port-based oil industries, thermal power projects and also multi-user ports on BOOT basis. In 2007, the State Government, while announcing its Maritime Policy, said that to improve the industrial and socio-economic activity, it was essential to take measures to ease the congestion in ports. From 15 in 2006, the number of minor ports has already gone up to 20.
According to M A Jayakumar of Coastal Community Protection movement: “The way the present governments in the State and the Centre are pushing for amendments to the CRZ notification, it is clear that the government is all set to completely wipe out the fishing community,” In Tamil Nadu alone, 15 lakh fishermen could be affected by the proposed amendments.
“Most of the ports and thermal power plants already violate the CRZ notification and public hearings for environmental clearance are stage managed by political parties. The newly proposed amendments would only increase the muscle power of the companies and the government to easily displace fishermen from their homes and deprive them of any viable livelihood opportunities. With fishermen out of their traditional livelihood, the sea ecosystem would be destroyed because of the amount of pollution that rampant industrialisation along the coast would cause,” says Arul Doss from National Alliance of Peoples Movement.
© Copyright 2008 ExpressBuzz
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Saturday, October 9, 2010
CPF Convener Challenges the Sterlite Expansion in the Madras High Court of Madurai bench
January 6th, 2010, 10:19 AM
The Anil Agarwal-owned Sterlite Industries has put on hold its proposed Rs 2300-crore copper smelter expansion project at Tuticorin in
southern Tamil Nadu as a dispute related to the project is being fought in court.
The trigger to put on hold the expansion plan came on the back of a writ petition filed in Madurai bench of the Madras High Court questioning the environmental clearances the company had obtained from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest and the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB). When the matter came up before the Madurai bench on Tuesday, Sterlite told the court that it will not go ahead with the expansion till the issue is resolved.
Earlier, Sterlite had announced its plan to invest Rs 2,300 crore to set up a four lakh tonnes per year copper smelter plant as part of expanding capacity at Tuticorin. But, it was challenged in the court by Pushparayan, a project director with an organisation called East Coast Research and Development.
The court filing said the Ministry of environment and forests cleared the company’s plans to expand capacity from 1,200 tonnes a day to 2,400 tonnes a day, without conducting a public hearing on the same. Therefore, the petitioner wanted the court to declare the clearance illegal and order a public hearing & also restrain Sterlite Industries from continuing or operating as per the expanded capacity.
But, before the court issued any order, Sterlite’s lawyer said that the company will not proceed with the project till the matter is resolved and that it will also obtain a “consent to operate” from the TNPCB.
“The court has admitted the petition and notice has been ordered. All respondents will file their counters in four weeks,” said V Prakash, the lawyer for the petitioner. The respondents include the environment ministry, the environment department of Tamil Nadu, TNPCB and Sterlite Industries.
At the same time, an official in Sterlite Industries, Tuticorin, who did not wish to be named, played down the issue and said, “It’s obvious that we will not go ahead with the project without a proper consent.”
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/indl-goods-/-svs/metals-mining/Sterlite-Industries-expansion-plans-at-Tuticorin-put-on-hold/articleshow/5414005.cms (http://http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/indl-goods-/-svs/metals-mining/Sterlite-Industries-expansion-plans-at-Tuticorin-put-on-hold/articleshow/5414005.cms)
satishanu
Friday, October 8, 2010
CPF Convener wrote a letter to the Bishop of TUTICORIN on the Sterlite Issue on 08.10.2010
Dear Lordship Bishop, Most.Rev.Dr.Yvon Ambroise,
Greetings from Pushparayan, Coastal People’s Federation.
At the outset , I would like to thank you for all the efforts you have been taking for the welfare of the people to protect their livelihood , defending their cause by expressing solidarity in their genuine struggles by your presence and outspoken articulations since you took upon the helm ,as the bishop of TUTICORIN .
I AM PROUD TO REGISTER THAT YOU ARE A PEOPLE’S BISHOP.
As you might be well aware of the fact that the Sterlite Industries in Thoothukudi has been ordered to close on 28th September, 2010 by the Madras High Court Bench for its various violations and environmental crimes since its inception in 1995.
You must be aware of the various strong protests in the past in Thoothukudi district against the unit even before it could lay down the foundation stone. And it is the catholic community, majority of the fisher folk who relentlessly fought against the most polluted and rejected unit in many states. I would like to recall and affirm the role played by the TMSSS federations in the fighting the unit forefront. It was all genuine ,sincere attempts and sacrifices that the people encountered in the recent past. And it was the fishing community that bore the brunt of the stiff opposition during the communal clash masterminded and instigated and executed by sterlite in 1996.
But it is a totally disheartening and anti-witnessing gesture that certain Religious Congregations in the Diocese of Tuticorin openly receive funds from the COASTAL LIVELIHOOD PROJECT under SWEP Program (Sterlite Women Empowerment Program ) in the name of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility )even now inspite of public unrest and judicial verdict. The whole world knows about the impact of such polluting companies that is why it has not been able to take berth in any of the Indian states. They not only receive regular grants but special funds now to sabotage the people’s protests. They are the dividing forces in the communities and are acting in favour of the company still, to support the company’s evil plans and schemes to justify its existence and presence . They are all popular schemes intended to dehumanize the people and denigrate the fishers . These agents not only fall prey to such evil plans and mortgage the fishing communities for their own interests. Such Plans cannot be allowed to happen anymore. They think that they can go ahead with such schemes inspite of people’s mandate.
Such congregations , the agents of Vedanta , justify their stand proclaiming that they are doing good to the fishers but they are in reality only helping the company to rob the earth’s resources and to pollute it further. The fishing communities need not depend upon such agents any more for schemes offered through them.(Like bones thrown to dogs) You have built up a great animation centre for the welfare and future of the fishing communities. I acknowledge that it was your vision and commitment towards the people . I appreciate your committed plans and schemes for the benefit of the fishing communities . The fisher kids are utilizing it now and your dreams for the fishing communities are realized through such schemes and trainings.
The Madras High Court has pronounced its judgment in the interest and welfare of the larger communities and welfare of the natural resources. Before everything else, the environment should be protected . The court has given its verdict in favour of the environment and the suffering people. If this factory is let free , then there will be unimaginable repercussions and impact in Thoothukudi as the judges have recorded.
So, I sincerely and humbly request you on behalf of the fishing communities , struggling people, petitioners and above all for the welfare of the environment to speak to the respective congregations to stop their anti-witnessing life and gestures and ask them to find grants from other good sources. Otherwise, at some point they would have to face the wrath of the people.
They need not be the Good Samaritans for the fishing communities.
There are many Good Samaritans like You .
I also elicit your full support towards the people’s cause further by mobilizing the church against the demon.
Thank you once again for all that you are doing and saying.
Seeking your intervention and Blessings,
Yours truly,
M.Pushparayan,
Project Director,ECRD.
Convener,CPF.
19/1, Manual Jacob Lane,
Thoothukudi- 628001.
Tamilnadu. India
Telephone:91-461-2361699
Fax :91-462-2554220
Mobile :91-98421 54073 & 91-94878 54073
Skype Id - pushparayan
Email - eastcoastrd@dataone.in & cpfsouth@gmail.com
Web Blog : http://cpfsouth.blogspot.com - TAMIL
http://cpfsouth1.blogspot.com - ENGLISH.
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