Traditional fisherfolk thronged the Collectorate here on Monday, keeping flowers behind their ears – to convey symbolically that they were being taken for a ride by officials – in protest against introduction of eco-tourism in Gulf of Mannar, apprehending threat to their livelihood. Led by M. Karunamurthy, district secretary of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU)-affiliated Kadal Thozhilalar Sangam, residents of Thoppukadu in Mandapam block presented a petition to Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao, urging him to stop the glass bottom boat eco-tourism’ and protect their livelihood. They said they eked out a living by fishing in vathai’ (small boats) and collecting seaweed around islands in Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park and expressed apprehension that the tourism project would pose threat to their livelihood. The Forest department had started floating buoys around the islands of Kurusadai, Poomarichan, Pullivasal and Shingle, they said and feared that the forest officials would prevent them from fishing in the area and destroy their livelihood. They had been fishing and collecting seaweed around these islands for several generations, they said. Though officials assured that they would be allowed to fish around the islands as usual, the presence of buoys was the first step towards preventing them from crossing the boundaries, Mr. Karunamurthy said. The tourism project would destroy the livelihood of a large number of men and women. When the islands were under the control of Fisheries department, the fisherfolk used the islands freely for staying while fishing and causing no harm to the biosphere reserve, he said. After the Gulf of Mannar was declared a Marine National Park and Forest department took control of the islands in 1982, the fisherfolk started facing problems, he said. The Collector assured to convene a meeting of all stakeholders and resolve the issue, he said. Forest officials said they had drawn up the project to promote eco-tourism with community participation. The project would be implemented involving the local people and the revenue earned would be spent for welfare projects to benefit the local community.
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