Chennai: Fisherfolk in Chennai on Wednesday opposed the corporation’s beach beautification plan, claiming that it would decrease their chances of escaping from the place if a natural calamity struck.
“The coastline is already choked with buildings and further construction of permanent structures close to the shore, occupying the fishermen’s area, makes it even more difficult to escape the high tides or if a cyclone were to occur,” the fishermen said.
The corporation has proposed beach beautification plans, including setting up of gyms, a play area for cricket, volleyball ground, parking slots and other recreational establishments along the Neelangarai, Kottivakkam and Palavakkam beach stretch.
“Every proposal in this project is a welcome move if the corporation sets up these facilities 200 m away from our residential area. But according to the civic body’s plan, the new facilities will appear about 50 m from the shoreline, intruding into the fishermen’s place,” said K. Saravanan of the Coastal Resource Centre.
“The space allocated for parking boats parking is too small and boats cannot be parked within such small stretches,” he added. The fishermen claimed that the corporation had not got the consensus of their community before planning the beach beatufication move.
