Adani Port and SEZ had proposed a revised development plan for the Kattupalli Port, Tamil Nadu in 2018. According to the Environmental Impact Assessment, the development plan mentions that the construction period of the harbour will be spread over 20 years. Adani Port will be expanding the existing L&T port of 330 acres to 6,111 acres. Out of which 2,000 acres will be occupied in the sea by dumping sand and stones. The expansion of the port is said to occupy the wetlands of the barrier island near Pulicat. Residents of Pulicat are protesting against the expansion of the port, fearing loss of livelihood and biodiversity of the area.
Livelihood of Fishermen in Question
Fishing is a major occupation of people living in 14 villages, that is situated in the Pulicat Lagoon. The Pulicat Lake is rich in marine diversity, as it is a natural brackish water. Fishermen of the Pulicat dread that their livelihood will be in danger if the project comes up there. Several social activists and climate change groups in Chennai claim that the Adani Port project is illegal and unethical. The revised project plan is prohibited under Coastal Regulation Zone Notifications 2011 and 2019, as ports are not permitted to be set up in high-erosion zones. People of the village are protesting against the expansion of the port, as it will impact the wetlands and destroy the ecologically fragile lake, which also serves as a wildlife sanctuary. Environmentalists allege that the conversion of this wetland into an industrial area will have a drastic impact on water security in Chennai. As the entire area of the proposed plan is a coastal stretch, it falls under the high eroding zone, which in turn acts as a treat to sea erosion, where flooding is high during the monsoon season. During the Kattupalli Port construction, people living along the shore were forced to evacuate. Yashodha amma, a well known woman of the Kattupalli kuppam has been fighting against the corporate company for 12 years now, as she was promised a permanent job. Hoping that her future generation will have a better livelihood, she decided to leave the town along with the other thousands of people of Kattupalli. Protesting against industrial development project plans, people of Pulicat are striving to sustain their livelihood, and are trying to protect the natural ecosystem of the place, where they have been living for generations.
Public Hearing Against Adani Port and SEZ Postponed
Based on a petition filed by the fishermen of Pulicat in Madras High Court, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board had announced a public hearing for the petitions filed by the Opposition political party on the revised port plan on 22 January 2021. But the meet was postponed citing COVID-19 norms. Social Activist Nityanand Jeyaraman stated that the court has not yet announced a new date for public hearing.
Adani Port and SEZ Limited’s Response to The Quint
Roy Paul, Associate Vice President, Corporate Brand Custodian of Adani Group responded to The Quint’s query. He said that the proposed expansion project at Kattupalli will exclude the ecologically vulnerable areas, which are not permissible, bearing in mind the sustenance of the localised ecological needs.