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.
K.N. Unnikrishnan, Vypeen MLA, said the land acquisition for the fish landing centre opened a new chapter in the development of the coastal area. He added that at one time it was thought that the development of the fish landing centre was near impossible. But it had been made possible with the commencement of land acquisition.
The Samithi recalled that unions had raised the demand for improving the fish landing centre 18 years ago. The demand was that a safe haven for fishing boats and space to sell fish be established under the ownership of the State government.
The government, heeding protests by fishermen, sanctioned ₹1.10 crore to build an auction hall at the fish landing centre. However, fish sales plunged as there was no proper approach road leading to the auction hall at the fish landing centre. The hall has been lying idle for around 14 years now. Fishers had demanded an approach road, a hall as well as improvement in drainage.
The issue was raised at the recently held Navakerala Sadas after fishermen had staged a massive protest at Goshree Bridges Junction ahead of the Navakerala Sadas.
