Pulicat fishermen demand long-term solution as silt threatens lake, livelihoods

The fishermen of Lake Pulicat in the neighboring Tirravallur region are an annoying lot.

While the Golden Horn is blocked by sand, they cannot take fishing activities. The sea water says that the entire ecosystem has been beaten before entering or leaving the lake, and most of them do not go to fish.

Jalandran Chettiyar, a community leader from the village of Arangamuppam, is now only connected to the sea for fish. He said those who are addicted to the lake did not buy fish. “When the seas were rough, there were days when we hunted in the lake during the monsoon. But everything stopped. They find it very difficult to survive in everything they buy. We don’t even want to rob them. We can start walking like the two retaining walls built by the government to keep it open throughout the year.

Sambasu Palli Kuppam’ın a community leader Raju Chettiyar, fishing has become impossible near the wiped Haliç, fishermen either take other jobs or fight because of insufficient capture, he said.

“Our ancestors were dependent on this waters. The fishermen from Andhra Pradesh would come here and the waters had deeper and more fish. However, we see that the lake was in a pathetic condition and that the tunnel did not see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

Aikiya Meenavar Sangam, Durai Mahandran from Paarambariya at Tiruvallur Maavatta, said that despite a few demands, the lake is not designed yet. “Silts will be the end of a large body of water that supports thousands of people and will be sold as real estate. Already many settlements and industrial lakes have emerged around the lake – most of them are unauthorized. A permanent solution is required to save the lake. A new work with all stakeholders should be taken.”

Pulicat is the second largest bitter water lagoon in the country and about 80% of the wetland, which also hosts flamingos, is on Andhra Pradesh.

Annamalaicheri, Korakuppam, Pasiyavaram, Thoniravupam, Andikuppam and Kottakuppam, such as approximately 22,000 fisherman’s waters are connected to the waters.