Harbour blockage: Protest continues in Kerala's Muthalapozhi

Thiruvananthapuram | Muthalapozhi, a coastal hamlet here, continued to witness intense protests on Wednesday with fishermen and trade unions demanding a solution to the blockage of the estuary at the harbour due to the accumulation sand.

The protest started a few days ago.

The activists of the Congress-affiliated trade union INTUC took out a protest march in the hamlet and laid a siege to the office of the assistant executive engineer of the Harbour Engineering Department there on Wednesday.

Another fishermen outfit also announced protest in front of the office later in the day.

The protesting INTUC workers raised slogans against the alleged government indifference in removing the accumulated sand and wanted to carry out dredging more effectively.

Earlier on Tuesday, Congress workers squatted on the road in front of state Fisheries Minister Saji Cheriyan's official residence in the city and raised slogans demanding urgent action.

Trade union activists, including those from CITU and INTUC, also staged a protest in front of the harbour's assistant executive engineer's office in Muthalapozhi on Tuesday morning.

Sources said the minister would hold discussions with various stakeholders later in the day to find a solution to the present issue in Muthalapozhi.

A fisherman said the accumulation of sand and the ineffective dredging have made their life miserable.

"Our livelihood is lost. There is starvation in many homes here. There are elderly and bed-ridden persons in majority of families here. We have no means of living other than fishing," the senior man said.

He further said they have been demanding effective measures for longtime, to remove the accumulated sand but nothing has happened so far.

The protests intensified amidst reports that the government was considering shutting down the Muthalapozhi harbour where the estuary has been blocked due to sand accumulation and relocating fishermen to other harbours.

Muthalapozhi in Perumathura is where the Vamanapuram River and Kadinamkulam Lake meet the Arabian Sea.

The area has become hazardous for fishermen both while setting out to sea and on their return.

The coastal hamlet has recently been in the news for several fishing boat accidents.

The Centre recently approved the long-awaited comprehensive development of the fishing harbour.