Fishermen Take Initiative in Thoothukudi, Present Locally Crafted Coastal Zone Management Map

by Fishery News

Thoothukudi: Amidst concerns over the exclusion of specific areas in the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) map, fishermen from Punnakayal hamlet in Thoothukudi drafted their own map. During a grievance redressal meeting at the Collectorate on Monday, they handed the map to District Revenue Officer (DRO) Ajay Seenivasan.

Expressing dissatisfaction with the previous CZMP map, formulated based on the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) notification of 2019, the fishermen highlighted its failure to identify crucial locations such as fish drying fields, net repair centers, mooring areas, settlements, fisheries, and future expansion plans. In their petition, the fishermen urged the state government to recognize and consider the map they created.

“We are not willing to relinquish these areas, despite the government’s oversight. Hence, we meticulously crafted a CZMP map of Punnakayal hamlet using the Geographical Information System (GIS) to safeguard our social structure, hamlet, and livelihoods,” stated the fishermen in their petition.

Led by the Punnakayal Oor Nirvaga committee, the fishermen referenced an order from the National Green Tribunal (NGT), directing the state to involve them in CZMP map drafting alongside the fisheries department and the ministries of forest, environment, and climate change.

Emphasizing their request for validation, the fishermen called on the district administration to conduct a field visit and incorporate the details into the state CZMP. The drafted map was submitted to the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) and the assistant director of fisheries on the same day.

Source: The New Indian Express

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