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The Kerala government has agreed to the opposition’s demand for an adjournment debate in the Legislative Assembly on the Latin Catholic Church-backed fishers’ agitation against the Vizhinjam port.
Vizhinjam Port
- About:
- Located on the southern tip of the Indian Peninsula
- Just 10 nautical miles from the major international sea route and east-west shipping axis
- A natural water depth of more than 20m within a nautical mile from the coast.
- Significance:
- It is likely to play a pivotal role in the maritime development of the country and Kerala.Â
- The port is expected to leverage the growth of minor ports in Kerala and other regional ports, creating thousands of employment opportunities.
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- Agitation:
- The Church-supported Vizhinjam Action Council (VAC) has been on the warpath against the ports’ breakwater construction.
- The VAC demanded the government halt the port construction till a credible impact assessment study by independent experts.
- Concerns:
- The encroaching sea rendered scores of fishers in Vizhinjam homeless.Â
- The port construction caused choppy waters, making fishing perilous in the littoral waters.
Source: TH
