This massive seaport, or transshipment container terminal, has faced sustained opposition from local fisher and coastal communities spread over many villages prompting much debate on this under-construction project. It is a big enough project in its ongoing first phase, but if its all future development plans are included then it becomes a truly massive project which should be properly evaluated keeping in view the current priorities of coastal areas. Another factor that must be kept in consideration is that Kerala has already become a very high disaster prone region in recent times, and this has been already blames by several experts to a considerable extent on indiscriminate construction activities, apart from the overall high risks of climate change such as those relating to more highly concentrated and heavy rains.
Keeping in view all these factors a massive project like Vizhinjam does not appear to be justified in these times. It is apparent from
the intense and sustained opposition of local fisher community that they strongly feel, on the basis of their actual experiences as well as their understanding of local conditions, that their sustainable livelihoods are being badly eroded and made much riskier and hazardous by this project.
by Bharat Dogra
30/08/2022
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