Fishermen living in a few coastal hamlets near Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project, who are facing cases for their alleged involvement in the anti-nuclear protests, have urged the Collector V. Vishnu to drop the cases filed against them as the cases were spoiling their chances of getting or renewing their passports.
“Since this stumbling block is preventing us from getting passports and going abroad for employment, the Collector should take immediate steps to withdraw these cases,” the fishermen urged Mr. Vishnu as he chaired the fishermen grievance meet at Radhapuram on Thursday while asking him not to allow construction of Away From Reactor (AFR) facility at KKNPP to store the spent fuel.
As the affected fishermen raised issue of pending cases against them in the meet, Mr. Vishnu promised to take up this matter with the government and organise special camps for giving or renewing the passports with the help of the Regional Passport Office, Madurai.
The fishermen expressed their willingness to get benefited from the KKNPP-sponsored welfare programmes and give employment in the upcoming nuclear park for their children.
Participants from Uvari including S.V. Antony, former panchayat president of the village and Raymond of MDMK, stressed the need to provide scientifically designed groynes in all the coastal hamlets in the district to protect the fishermen and their boats from high and violent tides. They asked the Collector to explore the possibility of creating a fishing harbour in a suitable place so that the country boat fishermen could switch over to fishing with mechanised boats.
On the drinking water crisis, ward member of Vijayapathi village panchayat Regina from Idnithanakarai said the water the villagers were getting was unfit for consumption since the project executed exclusively for providing drinking water for the coastal hamlets became defunct.
When the fishermen from Idinthakarai informed the Collector about the land, which was given in 2019 as free house sites to them, had been encroached upon by an individual, Mr. Vishnu promised to take corrective measures.
Mr. Vishnu agreed to start capacity building training programme exclusively for the youth from the coastal hamlets.