Tamil Nadu assembly polls: Parties must cast a wide net to reel in votes of fisherfolk

CHENNAI: With the sea bordering Kattupalli Kuppam fishing hamlet, around 40km from Chennai, life was peaceful for Anith Kumar, 29, and his family until 2008. Then the peace was shattered after a private firm was handed over the village to build the port at Kattupalli.
Anith Kumar and 160 other families were shifted to “poorly constructed” group houses, nearly 1.5 km away, towards Pulicat Lake.Now, they face uncertainty and fear they would be displaced permanently from the shore. This forced them to vehemently oppose the expansion of Adani port to guard their identity and livelihood.

From Bottaikuppam in the far end of Tiruvallur district’s Gummidipoondi constituency to Neerody hamlet in Kanyakumari’s Killiyoor constituency in the deep south, the fisher community will play a crucial role in the poll outcome in 38 constituencies in 14 coastal districts. Fisherfolk make for nearly 40% of voters in some constituencies.
In the ensuing assembly election, issues revolving around multi-crore projects such as Kattupalli Adani Port extension in Ponneri constituency, international container transit terminal in Enayam in Colachel constituency, and the environmental impact assessment notification 2020 are expected to have an impact. At land’s end in picturesque Dhanushkodi, frequent attacks on fishermen by the Sri Lankan navy is an issue that’s boiling over. The DMK’s poll promise to reduce the fuel price is bound to draw the attention of fishermen across Tamil Nadu’s coastline.
Anith Kumar, whose village is at the epicentre of the Adani port expansion issue, was of the view that its impact would reflect in Chennai’s other constituencies as well since the project would “completely destroy the Pulicat Lake”, the source of livelihood for fishermen in other parts of the assembly segments.
K Bharathi of the South Indian Fishermen welfare association said the AIADMK has lost the “confidence of the community” after it “gave its nod for the Centre’s anti-fishermen policies”.
Among assurances that seem to have drawn the attention of the coastal populace is the DMK’s promise to take steps to add the fishermen community as a coastal tribe under the Scheduled Tribes (ST) and to ensure they receive all related benefits.
“This has been our prime demand for decades as it will be the key for our social upliftment,” activist Churchil of South Asian Fishermen Fraternity (SAFF) said, while fishermen P Dickson of Kanyakumari said ST status will also help them enjoy reservation in higher education and government jobs.
The ruling AIADMK had promised the same in the past two assembly polls, but it has remained only on paper, D Durai Mahendran of TN fishermen association said.