CHENNAI: A fishing vessel that was illegally demolished
at Kasimedu harbour has been sealed by government officials after a report
appeared in these columns on Saturday last.
South Indian Fishermen
Welfare Association president K Bharathi said that on the same day the report
appeared, a team of officials covered the demolished vessel with a tarpaulin
and put a seal on it. The report had the desired effect stopping further damage
to the environment, he said.
The association also filed a complaint with the state
environment department last week. The environment department, in a letter,
instructed officials to inspect the place to check the damage caused by the
demolition. In case of violations of the Coastal Regulation Zone Rules 2011,
necessary action should be taken, the letter said. The action taken report has
to be sent to the complainant and the director of environment department, Tamil
Nadu, it further said.
Fishermen in the area said another tug and a fishing
vessel, which are waiting to be broken down, remain anchored at the harbour.
The authorities have to seize these two boatsbefore the demolition begins, they
said.
The Kasimedu fishing harbour was originally a ship
repairing yard for the Coast Guard. With the increase in the number of boats,
fishermen requested the authorities to allocate space which led to the yard
being marked as a fishing harbour, a fisherman said.
Fishermen are now worried
that the demolition of ships here will set a wrong precedent and encourage
others wanting to dispose of their vessels. Already the volume of their catch
is going down due to pollution and releasing waste from a condemned ship will
further pollute the environment. All fishermen are against allowing demolition
of ships in the harbour, said Fishermen Murpokku Sangam president Jagadeesan.
Source:
times
of india. 17 November 2017
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