Fishermen pick holes in coastal mgmt plan

Thoothkudi: Fishermen’s organisations in Thoothukudi have demanded the cancellation of the public hearing proposed by the state government on its coastal zone management plans (CZ­MPs) in Thoothukudi on Dec­ember 10.

They say that the state government-drafted CZMPs do not reflect the spirit of conservation of the fragile eco­sy­stems of the Gulf of Mannar. According to Mr Jones Tho­mas Spartegus, a marine environmental activist, the CZ­MPs were prepared without any consultation with fishermen and is also not in the local vernacular language.

Fishermen object as the TN government has not yet prepared and published any detailed plans for long-term housing needs of the coastal com­munities in view of exp­ansion and other needs, provisions of basic services incl­uding sanitation, safety and disaster preparedness.