Fishermen of eight villages near Ennore staged a protest on Saturday morning demanding inclusion of two villages — Chinnakuppam and Periyakuppam — for relief. These villages had been affected in the recent oil spill in the Ennore-Manali area when oil had run into waterbodies, including the Kosasthalaiyar and the Ennore Creek.
R. Kumaran of the Ennore Meenava Grama Makkal Panchayat said that those two villages had also suffered losses. “Their nets, boats and engines have been damaged due to the oil slick. They have also lost their livelihoods due to this calamity,” he said.
The fishermen also demanded that they be given new boats instead of the compensation of ₹12,500 per family. D. Joseph of Nettukuppam, whose village also took part in the protest, said that their boats made of fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) had gotten soaked in the oil. “The oil cannot be removed. It has formed a layer on the boat and also entered the material. This will lead to complete disintegration of the boats when the temperature rises, which means we cannot use them,” he said.
K. Bharathi, a fishing community leader, said that since the boats cannot be used and the compensation amount was very low, the government should direct the Chennai Petroleum Corporation Limited to increase the quantum of compensation. “Even if they go out for fishing with these damaged craft, they would not be able to do it in the neighbourhood. They will have to travel a minimum of 10 km, which translates to an additional expenditure on diesel and they cannot afford that. The affected villagers are ready to forefeit the ₹12,500 and wait for the new boats,” he said.
