A study that found no correlation between the coastal erosion and the Vizhinjam port has stirred up a hornets’ nest in the Thiruvananthapuram Archdiocese of the Catholic Church (Latin rites), which spearheads the fishermen’s agitation against the port. A section of priests mounted a scathing verbal attack on the author of the study Clement Lopez, a U.S.-based researcher and former researcher at the Department of Future Studies, University of Kerala. In a chat with The Hindu , he explains the circumstances that led to the study and its socio-economic significance. Excerpts:-
One of the main demands of the Thiruvananthapuram Archdiocese is a study on the impact of the port work on the district’s coastline. They also want a representative of the fishermen to be included on the panel of the study. You hail from the same community and from an affected coastal village, Poonthura. But they have outrightly rejected your findings and questioned your integrity. Your comments.
The priests who opposed my findings did not challenge the study academically or scientifically. Instead, they tried to question my integrity by launching a personal attack. That is not the way to challenge a scientific study. I don’t think the Church is against me over the findings. Only some priests, who have personal interests, have opposed me.
