[Reader-list] Fishworkers plan coastal mapping

T Peter peter.ksmtf at gmail.com
Sun Aug 3 06:58:56 CDT 2014


Fishworkers plan coastal mapping

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/fishworkers-plan-coastal-mapping/article6270585.ece

The two-day executive committee of the National Fishworkers' Forum (NFF),
which concluded here on Sunday, resolved to take up mapping of coastal
areas across the country to ensure strict implementation of the Coastal
Regulation Zone (CRZ) notification of 2011.

Expressing concern over the government's inaction in mapping coastal zones
and the increasing encroachments along the coast by industries, tourism and
land sharks, the meeting decided that all member organisations of the NFF
would carry out the mapping exercise in the coastal villages.

A press note quoting NFF chairperson M. Ilango and secretary T. Peter
appealed to the State governments to abide by the CRZ norms to constitute
district coastal zone committees with representatives of fishing
communities as members. The meeting proposed a 90-day uniform monsoon
trawling ban for Western coast States and separate but uniform 90-day ban
for the Eastern coast States. It called upon the State and Central
governments to address the concerns raised by the fishers about the
Vizhinjam international seaport project.

The committee demanded a complete ban on Special Economic Zones in CRZ
zones and a review of the existing SEZs in coastal areas in consultation
with local fishing communities.

It observed that the Adani SEZ in Gujarat, Jindal SEZ in Maharashtra and
Posco SEZ in Odisha were sanctioned in gross violation of the CRZ norms.

The meeting urged the government to stall all the proposals to establish
ship breaking yards, in view of the hazardous nature of the industry and
its adverse impact on fishing communities and regional ecology.

It called upon the Central government to secure the release of Indian
fishers held in Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

The committee also called for a ban on purse seine fishing across the
country.


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