Amidst growing protests over dredging at Muthalapozhi harbour, state govt scheduled a crucial meeting on Wednesday to address the issues. Fisheries minister Saji Cherian will chair the meeting, which will include representatives from the fishermen community and trade unions such as CITU that has been actively supporting the local fishermen.
For several days, fishermen and union members staged protests over heavy accumulation of dredged soil at the harbour mouth. They are also opposing govt’s reported plan to shift fishing operations to other harbours in Kollam district. On Tuesday, protesters held a sit-in outside harbour engineering department office in Perumathura, demanding immediate removal of the dredged soil and restoration of safe fishing conditions.
The protesters also blocked Cherian’s official residence, urging immediate intervention. They warned of intensifying their protests and launching an indefinite agitation after Easter if govt fails to act swiftly. The discontent stems from repeated accidents in the harbour channel, which fishermen attribute to lack of proper maintenance. In March, hundreds of fishermen blocked Anchuthengu-Perumathura road, demanding immediate dredging of the harbour.
According to a 2018 memorandum of understanding between harbour engineering department and Adani Vizhinjam Port Pvt Ltd (AVPPL), it is AVPPL’s responsibility to remove accumulated sand and maintain a depth of 5m to keep the channel navigable. However, dredging operations were halted by AVPPL in July last year, citing disputes over responsibility. Following negotiations, harbour department resumed the dredging on the condition that AVPPL would bear the cost. Earlier, Cherian had informed the assembly that AVPPL failed to consistently maintain the 5m depth in the harbour mouth as per the MoU.
As many as 46 fishermen lost their lives in boat mishaps in the area from 2016 to 2024. Representatives of the Latin Church and the fishermen community have consistently called for lasting solutions to ensure the safety and livelihood of coastal families.