Panchayats to adopt resolution against Adani port expansion

“Four village panchayats  Lighthouse Kuppam, Kottaikupppam, Pulicat, and Thangal-Perumbulam in Pazhaverkadu  would adopt a special resolution urging the Chief Minister to fulfil his poll promise of scrapping the Adani Kattupalli Port Expansion project. And also to stop attempts to reduce the eco-sensitive zone of the Pulicat Bird Sanctuary from 10 km to 0 to enable the setting up of industries,” said M Mathialagan, president, Pazhaverkadu Paguthi Fisher Collective Association.

The fisher association said when CM Stalin was the leader of the opposition, he had promised to scrap the Adani port expansion project and also promised to protect the Pulicat Bird sanctuary as well through a statement. “After coming to power, he told the Assembly that all the promises would be fulfilled. We are happy about it,” they said.

However, they said they were hearing that attempts were being made to reduce the eco-sensitive zone of the sanctuary to do away with the protection of the Pulicat to set up industries. “We hope the government would protect the Pulicat which is the source of livelihood for one lakh fishers,” they said, adding the association will pass separate resolutions at the grama sabha to oppose the port expansion and protect the Pulicat.

After DMK’s promise to scrap the port expansion project, the AIADMK coordinator and the then deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam also promised to stop the port expansion if voted back to power during the election campaign last year.