Revenue Divisional Officer, Thoothukudi, M. Prabhu, holding talks with the fishermen on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: N. RAJESH
The first round of talks held here on Tuesday with the fishermen, who have built their houses on unsurveyed government lands, failed as they refused to give their lands for the proposed green shipbuilding yard coming up on the outskirts of this port town.As the Tamil Nadu Government has proposed to create green shipbuilding yard at Mullakkaadu on the Thoothukudi outskirts on an outlay of ₹30,000 crore, over 1,700 acres of land – mostly government poramboke lands - has been identified for this project.As these lands in Mullakadu I, Mullakadu II and Pazhayakayal villages have been given on lease for salt pans, the owners of these salt pans and the workers are staging a series of protests against the move to acquire the land for creating shipbuilding yard. They even attempted to lay siege to the District Collectorate on Monday.“While some of the leases, who are paying a paltry sum as annual lease amount per acre, have set up their own salt pans, most of the leases have been given on ‘second lease’ to others from whom they are collecting thousands of rupees as lease amount every year to cause huge loss to the government. As the government wants to create the shipbuilding yard through foreign direct investment, we’re taking steps to take back these lands in the midst of resistance from these people with vested interest,” said a senior government official.Since 41 fishermen families are also living on a portion of the lands identified in Mullakkaadu I village, all unsurveyed government lands, Revenue Divisional Officer, Thoothukudi, M. Prabhu held talks with heads of these families on Monday for taking the land from them and explaining to them about the rehabilitation measures initiated by the government.“The government will give you a concrete house with 360 square feet on three cents of well-connected land with road, street light, transport and drinking water facilities. Relocation assistance, monthly assistance for one year, compensation for boats, assistance for continuing fishing etc. will be given,” Mr. Prabhu assured.However, the fishermen, who participated in the meeting along with CITU district president Petchimuthu, rejected it immediately, saying that any relocation would affect their livelihood, fishing.Mr. Prabhu requested them to discuss the rehabilitation offer with their family members, relatives and friends and get back to him for more talks.“We are here to extend every possible help to ensure better living conditions for you. So, we’re waiting for you for more productive discussions to arrive at amicable solution,” Mr. Prabhu said. Published - July 28, 2026 09:34 pm IST
