COASTAL PEOPLES’ FEDERATION - CPF
Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi , Tirunelveli & kanyakumari Districts. It is a network of CBOs, NGOs, Activists and Fisher Leaders from Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and kanyakumari Districts(Four Districts). It is constituted for the welfare of the fishing communities, the conservation of GOM and protection of fishing rights and Livelihood rights. It will also address the developmental threats facing the GOM region. It is the Second Meeting and the launch of the Network for the General Public. We would like to make the following statements together and place itbefore the State and Central Governments to redress the following grievances of the Fishing Communities in the GOM Region. We have planned to carry out series of Programmes to sensitize thefishing /coastal communities in the GOM region before the State General Elections scheduled for May 2011. In view of the proposed programmes,
1.We urge the Central Government to repeal and withdraw the proposed MARINE FISHERIES (REGULATION AND MANAGEMENT) BILL, 2009. We accuse the Government that it trying to implement the MAFIRMA bill 2009 through back doors by 11th Five Year Plan.
2.We demand that the Central Government to make the CRZ Notification, 1991 in its original form without amendments into an act and protectthe coast and the fishing communities.
3.We demand that the Government to implement the Murari Committee recommendations, 1997 without any delay.
4.In the name of national security, we ask the Central and state Governments not to penalize the poor and native fishing communitiesand impinge the rights of the traditional fishing communities.
5.In the name of conservation, we ask the state Government not toforbid the traditional fishers of the GOM region from fishing in theregion. It is the traditional fishers who have down the centuries haveprotected the biosphere and the ecosystem of the region. It is the government policies and market driven forces have devastated the wealth of the GOM region for their own interest. Any conservation effort should be undertaken with due/wide consultations of the primary stakeholders .i.e.the Native fishers. Human Beings should beat the centre of any conservation efforts. Eliminating the fishersfrom conservation efforts would be very futile. The intention of the Forest Department(GOMBRT) is trying to make the fishers as scapegoats and naming them as outsiders/aliens and making the illegal coastalsand miners, hazardous industrial units go scot free. It is thealready established industrial units or the proposed ones are to betermed as culprits in destroying the ecosystem/biosphere.
6.The Governments lavishly spending crores of money on coastal security. It establishes marine police stations in the fishing villages without any consent of the communities. It is to be avoided and nothing should be enforced with force. We want to reiterate that Governments should realize that the National coastal security is notat all possible by eliminating the native fishers.
7.We demand that the proper functioning of the Fishermen welfare board in the state as it is not operational since its inception. It must be activated with separate office, proper personnel and with sufficient funds in all the districts. The Govt.should provide individual family cards to access the benefits under the welfareboard.
8.We demand that the fishing/coastal communities should not beneglected and excluded in the Government welfare schemes especially Dr.Kalignar housing scheme as the Rajiv Gandhi Tsunami Rehabilitation Fund is closed. We demand that the Govt should build houses for the fishermen families with in 1000 metres under kaligner Housing Scheme.
9.We oppose all the “POWER CORIDOOR“ Coal & Gas based Thermal power projects in the GOM region as they are a great threat to the biosphereas well as to fishing activities and to the communal harmony and coexistence of the poor fishers and the farmers. We demand that the Government to repeal the “POWER COORIDOR” projects in the region. We demand that the Power Coridoor Projects Depend entirely on Manapad Private Coal harbour. We demand that the manapad Private coal harbour project to be dropped immediately.
10.We demand that the Government to implement strict pollution control measures/methods to the existing industries in the GOM regionand to monitor them strictly. We ask the Government to educate and involve the local people/residents in pollution control operations and to punish the violators without any discrimination.
11.As we are experiencing the global warming effects in the coastal villages of the GOM region, we urge the Governments to stop the indiscriminate mining of the coastal sand and thereby to conserve the corroding 21 coral islands of the region and protect the coastal communities from sea erosion.
12.We urge the Governments to ban the commercial sea weed cultivation in the name providing alternative IGPs as it is detrimental to the conservation efforts. Cultivation of Kappaphycus will bring disasteron our marine ecology and fishery economy.
13.We demand that the fishermen to be provided Rs.4500 during the 45 days fishing ban in the year. It is to be given beforethe 10th of April, every year. It is to be provided like a salary asper the National Rural Employment Scheme.
14.We condemn the Police excess on the fishing community at the Ramanathapuram Government hospital. We urge the Govt to provide immediately compensation for the Fish worker Mr. Sunder raj, who was killed. We demand that Government to release immediately the innocent people who were arrested with out any conditions.
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