Fisherfolk threaten protests over port outside Mumbai

Shiv Kumar
Tribune News Service
Mumbai, April 7

The Maharashtra government's plans to reclaim nearly 5000 hectares of land from the sea to build a new port at Wadhwan in Dahanu outside Mumbai has drawn protests from local fisherfolk who fear disruption of their livelihoods.

Banded under the banner of the Wadhwan Bunder Virodhi Committee, the local fisherfolk numbering nearly a lakh of people have threatened to stage protests if the project is not scrapped. “This is a prime fishing area and fishing boats from the Western Coast come here to catch and trade in fish,” says Narayan Patil, secretary, of the
committee.

Over the past few months, local fisherfolk have disrupted surveys carried out by government officials.

According to Patil, a port at Wadhwan proposed more than two decades ago was abandoned following protests from fisherfolk and villagers.

However in the fresh proposal, the government has sought reclamation of land as against acquisition of land in order to win over villagers living in and around the proposed port. Sources say, the villagers are being wooed with the promise of appreciation in the value of their land once the port comes up.

Fisherfolk, on the other hand, with no land of their own are worried about being displaced once reclamation of land begins.

The Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) and the Maharashtra government
will be the biggest stakeholders at the new port proposed at Wadhwan.
With JNPT operating at full capacity, Wadhwan is expected to take some
load off it.

The location has been chosen because of its proximity to the Western Railway line connecting Mumbai and the Delhi-Mumbai Freight Corridor.

Both, the Maharashtra and the central governments have decided to remove the tag of eco-sensitive zone attached to Wadhwan in order to facilitate land reclamation and construction of the port.

Under Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, the Maharashtra government fast-tracked development of Wadhwan port last year.