Puducherry fishermen protest towards flaws in Coastal Zone Management Plans

Leading the demonstration, R. Mangayarselvan, founding father of the organisation demanded the inclusion of the fishing group’s native infrastructure within the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) maps.

He stated the draft maps have been incomplete and lacked particular particulars on fishing zones, breeding and spawning grounds, frequent properties of fishing communities, and a complete plan for the long-term housing wants of coastal fishermen as specified within the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification.

As many as 551.2 acres of native infrastructure within the coastal villages in Puducherry and 175.04 acres in Karaikal had been intentionally unnoticed within the CZMP maps. He emphasised the necessity to embrace frequent properties, similar to net-mending areas and fish public sale or sale zones.

The map, in its current type, is incomplete and never in tune with the amended Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) notification of 2024 because it had unnoticed key land use areas of fishermen, he added.

Leader of Opposition R. Siva and representatives from CPI (M) participated.