The Madras high court on Tuesday sought a response from the state government on a plea which challenged the classification of a portion of land from meenavar poromboke to fishing harbour at Erayumanthurai village at Kanyakumari district. A division bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and justice M Duraiswamy sought the response while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by B Antony, a resident of Erayumanthurai village. The petitioner stated that the government had constructed a fish landing station at the village, which has a restroom facility for the fishermen and space for repairing their nets. He stated that in June, revenue officials came to the village and started measuring the portion of the land situated near the landing station. When the people inquired, the officials informed that the land was classified from meenavar poromboke to fishing harbour. He claimed that the villagers were not aware of this classification and no opportunity was given to hear the local fishermen. The villagers had submitted representations expressing their grievances to the authorities stating the meenavar poromboke which was used by the fishermen cannot be classified as fishing harbour. Since, no steps were taken , the petitioner moved the HC Madurai bench.
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