Over 1,000 fishermen belonging to 15 hamlets of Light House Kuppam panchayat in north Chennai near Kattupalli have not been to the sea since May 1. They are demanding jobs in private companies that are coming up in the area.
“Our traditional fishing rights have been lost due to sea erosion and construction of groynes. After the 2004 tsunami, fish catch has reduced. We want the government to get us around 1,000 jobs. We are willing to undergo any kind of training for jobs like helpers and cleaners,” said Ashok, one of the fishermen.
R. Karunakaran, president of Light House Kuppam panchayat, said only 30 persons had been employed on contract basis by a private port-cum-ship building yard.
Sources in the company said the fishermen had not allowed employees into the premises at Kattupalli for the last three days. “Persons who had lost their land due to the project have been compensated with jobs. The fishermen see people who have been employed are better-off and want jobs. Tiruvallur district administration and local MLA had intervened,” the source said.
