The government’s move to acquire land for establishing parking facilities for the Kalamukku fish landing centre, which has got under way, was a victory for fishermen and others working in auxiliary sectors, said P.V. Jayan of Kerala Paramaparagatha Matshaya Thozhilali Samithi representing traditional fishermen using the facility on Vypeen island.
He said on Thursday that the recent government order sanctioning ₹2.51 crore for purchasing land for an approach road as well as parking area was the result of nearly two decades of protests by fishermen demanding that facilities at the fish landing centre be drastically improved.
The government has decided to acquire 12.55 cents near the fish landing centre under the negotiable purchase format. A sum of ₹12.55 lakh has already been released for preliminary works by the Revenue department. The government has sanctioned the money under capital expenditure as any further development of the fish landing centre will be possible only on the basis of availability of sufficient parking space and an approach road.
