Chennai Port Trust (ChPT) officials on Saturday issued work orders for dredging the space below the fish auction platform at Kasimedu Fishing Harbour to remove the slush. This step is an attempt to meet a long-pending demand of the fisherfolk.
The Fishing Harbour Management Committee (FHMC) recently issued a circular to the boat owners to move their boats away from the fishing harbour as it came in the way of dredging. However, the boat owners resisted the move as according to them, there was no sign of dredging process beginning.
The fisherfolk had also sought the reclamation of land at a different location as compensation for the land they gave away towards the widening of 1.6 km stretch from S.N. Chetty Street to ChPT zero gate as part of the Rs.600 crore Ennore Manali Road Improvement Project (EMRIP).
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To commence the work, ChPT has to obtain Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearances from the District-level and State-level committees. Though officials concerned had agreed three weeks ago to accord the go-ahead signal, a meeting to this effect is yet to take place, sources said.
A ChPT official said: “Our board has cleared the proposal to create additional land on the sea front through reclamation. We can do it only after getting the CRZ clearance. extra space.”