Threat to sand dunes, livelihood: Fishermen oppose Nandavanam Heritage Park proposal off ECR

CHENNAI: With the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation Limited (TTDC) applying for a coastal regulation zone (CRZ) clearance for the Nandavanam Heritage Park project to come up in Thiruvidanthai off East Coast Road (ECR), the fishing community has opposed the project, raising apprehensions that the sand dunes will have to go to make way for the park.

Fishermen from Semmencheri Kuppam handed over a petition against the project to the office of assistant director of Fisheries and the Fishermen Welfare Department in Neelankarai.

"The Nandavanam Heritage Park project falls primarily within the No Development Zone (NDZ) of CRZ-III where huge pavement/construction is prohibited under the CRZ notification, 2011. Parks, which are open areas with grasses or trees where people can go for walks or play, are only permissible in NDZs. This project proposes to pave a huge area for at least 54,261.5 sq m for pavements and internal roads in the NDZ alone,” the fishermen alleged.

They added that the facilities in the project, such as Go-karting, Art, Dance and Theatre Park, and Glow Park, would require more concretisation.

In fact, the project area is currently covered by sand dunes which now face the threat of being flattened, raising the risks of losing water security of the coastal and fishing villages.

The fishermen further alleged that the TTDC has concealed the existence of sand dunes. This exposure of the dune ecosystem to destruction is the direct result of improper Coastal Zone Management Plan that omitted them, the petition said.

"The CRZ notification mandates the inclusion of three fisher representatives in the appraisal process for CRZ projects at the district level. However, fisher participation was negated during the DCZMA (District Coastal Zone Management Authority) meetings held on November 9 and 13. The state CZMA ignored this omission and recommended the project. This act of CZMAs not only misrepresents the truth but also discredits the entire appraisal process, raising questions about accountability and ethical governance in environmental decision-making,” the petition pointed out.

M Arumugam, president, Chengalpattu district fishermen cooperative network, opined that the CZMAs must ensure that participatory mechanisms are genuinely upheld and that the voices of the most-affected fishermen are heard and respected.

Fishermen also expressed fear that the access to their livelihood spaces, including traditional shore seine (peria valai) fishing areas, will be affected, and the three wells that three villages depend for water will be closed by the project.

"Circumventing the prohibitions of CRZ notification and omission of fisher participation in DCZMA meeting and the expedited appraisal process within just two days raises red flags about the thoroughness and transparency of the project review," said K Bharati, president, South Indian Fishermen Welfare Association.