Tiruchendur fishermen seek extension of bait arch to prevent coastal erosion

MADURAI: Fishing operations remain suspended off Amalinagar, a coastal hamlet and some of its neighbouring villages near Tiruchendur of Thoothukudi district on Tuesday as scores of fishermen have struck work demanding an extension of a bait arch, which is being constructed to prevent coastal erosion.

They were demanding to construct a bait curve on the north side of the shore on par with the south side. The long pending demand for these concrete protection structures aimed at protecting the shoreline from coastal erosion at Amalinagar took off, but some fishermen were not content with the construction.

Several fibre boats have remained anchored in shallow waters and beached along the shore.

As a mark of protest, the fisher folks carried black flags and also hoisted such flags on the boats.

The fishers of Amalinagar village, which has around two thousand families, have been relying on fishing by a fleet of 202 boats for their livelihoods and income, sources said.

Official sources said the bait arch construction project, which has touched 70 per cent of the works, is not yet over.

The project at an estimated cost of Rs 58 crore was designed to construct the bait arch at 58 metres, whereas the fishermen were demanding to extend the structure to 63 metres. The demands of the fishermen would be met, sources said.

Currently, priority is accorded to constructing a submerged breakwater to primarily protect the Tiruchendur temple as designed by the IIT team under the aegis of HR&CE. Moreover, sea gabion boxes were used to stabilise Tiruchendur shoreline since the sea wall’s damaged, sources said.