Black Flags Against Vizhinjam Project, Kerala Fishermen Hold Protests; Here's Why

Fishermen had raised the black flags outside the construction site of Vizhinjam port, clamouring that their requests had not been met and many of their concerns were not addressed properly. Extending support to the protestors, the Latin Catholic Church has also demanded answers from the state government over the unmet demands.

Earlier this week, the fishermen had laid a blockade at the state secretariat in the state's capital city. Despite the continuous protests held by the fishermen, the construction of the transhipment project continued at the port, which led the fishermen to disrupt the site and stage their demonstrations.

Demonstrations On August 16

The construction works of the Vizhinjam international transhipment project in Trivandrum district were disrupted on August 16 after many fishermen blocked the roads that led to the project site. They said that the blockade would continue until their demands for proper compensation and rehabilitation packages were met.

Holding black flags outside the site, they decided to make a point regarding the risks they were being put through due to the large-scale project. The construction and breakwater projects carried out by the Adani group are costing their livelihood, alleged many fishermen. In response to this concern, the transport minister of Kerala, Antony Raju, said that the government has already adopted necessary measures and has allocated 18 acres of land to build residential units and flats for the people who will be displaced from the sites. On behalf of the government, he also added that the work relating to the same would start soon.

However, the protestors are adamant that they want to talk to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and be assured directly.

A Series Of Unmet Demands

Earlier this week, the fishermen had blocked the way around the state secretariat and were able to gather media attention to their concerns. Rehabilitation and compensation were among their main demands, as a major share of fisherfolk families had their lands claimed by the tidal wave attacks that were allegedly intensified by the construction works of the port. The fishermen had alerted the government of losses of around 500 homes and boats right from December 2015, when the project was initiated.

Discussions regarding the Vizhinjam Port made it to the mainstream since it was commissioned by the multinational conglomerate Adani. The port, which was envisioned about a century back during the era of the Travancore Diwan Ramaswami Ayyar, was originally conceived only three decades back. The initial suggestion was a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model but concluded with the Adani group emerging as the sole bidder for the project.

The port 12 nautical miles away from the international ship channel was expected to be commissioned by October 2023 and reduce the country's high dependency on the ports of Colombo, Singapore and Dubai for heavy cargo transshipments. A report by the Hindustan Times stated that once completed; the port could also harbour and anchor the largest motherships in the world.

Raising Environmental And Livelihood Concerns

For years, many environmental activists and residents have pointed out the drastic impact of the construction.

The protestors have been living in makeshift camps for the past four years after a natural disaster had destroyed their homes around the ports. The promises for new homes have not yet been met, and the families continue to survive in these camps, which are mostly abandoned godowns or schools with questionable infrastructure facilities and amenities.

Apart from putting their livelihood and living conditions at stake, activists have specified a spectrum of marine problems, from marine erosion to the loss of acres of coastal lands.

A Times Now News quoted activists who believe the long-term dredging and groyne associated with the construction have impeded the normal movement of sand over the ocean floor, which has resulted in a balanced accretion-erosion cycle. This, instead, has paved the way for fewer beaches in the northern zone of the port development region.

The ₹7,525 crore Vizhinjam port project commissioned by the Adani Ports is just one among the many other strategically positioned ports and terminals operated by the MNC. These include the Mundra Port, Krishnapatnam Port, Dhamra Port, Dahej Port, Vizag Terminal, Mormugao Terminal, Kattupalli Port, Ennore Terminal, Tuna Terminal, and Dighi Port.

Support From The Catholic Churches

Standing in solidarity with the fishermen's community of Vizhinjam, the Latin Catholic Churches around the region hoisted black flags. Bishop and the general convener of the Fishermen's Protest Action Council, Eugine H Pereira, said that they had approached the government multiple times with the community's concerns. Following this, the government made promises and offered of several relief packages to secure the fishermen's community who were displaced. The Action Council reported that these promises turned out to be mere paper tigers which did not get implemented on the ground level.

Protesting against this, the Thiruvananthapuram archdiocese staged a massive protest in front of the state secretariat by blocking roads with fishing boats and equipment on August 10.

"We have been knocking on many doors. We were forced to hit the street after all our wails fell on deaf ears. We will intensify our stir in the coming days," said the Bishop.

Port minister Ahammad Deverkiol aggravated the situation by stating that many people who appeared for the protests came from different areas and did not belong to the Vizhinjam locality. Slamming the allegations, the Bishop responded that the minister "has no idea about either the port or living conditions of fishermen."

The support showcased by the Latin Catholic Community poses a major challenge for the left ruling government, which has been able to enjoy the support of the fishermen community over the years. Many believe that this one incident alone could imply a significant shift in vote bank politics. Few reports also point out that the left government has adopted a poor decision by eagerly funding ₹70,000 crore rail line projects and blatantly ignoring the housing demands of fishermen who have secured votes for the party for over decades.

Also Read: Kerala: Fisherfolk Stage Huge Protest With Boats, Nets To Urge Quick Action Against Coastal Erosion