Residents of the coastal village of Chellanam have expressed concern at what they feel is an attempt by the Kerala Coastal Zone Management Authority (KCZMA) to possibly impose more severe restrictions on coastal residents.
Speaking for coastal residents, Paschima Kochi Theerasamrakshana Samiti spokesman T.A. Dalfin said a draft of the coastal protection plan for Ernakulam district had been issued on April 22, seeking reactions and suggestions from “stakeholders” within a fortnight of the draft being brought out.
Mr. Dalfin said that the draft itself was around 130 pages long, and that coastal residents were not aware of the draft plan. His concern is that not enough time had been given to them to be heard.
However, sources in the KCZMA said the draft issued on April 22 had basically sought suggestions from various departments like Harbour Engineering, Irrigation, and Town Planning and from local bodies so that major issues were addressed when a public hearing was held to elicit views from coastal residents.
Sources said coastal residents would definitely have their say at the hearing before the plan was finalised.
Fishers union leader Charles George said the fishing community had expected the government to be lenient towards fisherfolk who lived close to the coast, and they had expected concessions on the basis of the density of population (based on the 2011 Census) in the designated coastal zone categories.
Mr. Dalfin claimed that there were anomalies in the draft which needed to be addressed. Some provisions in the draft threatened the very existence of a few local bodies, he said and sought more time from the government for the residents to submit their views.
