'Chennai's Fishers Near Marina Beach Say Eviction Would Impact Livelihood'

'Fish sellers near Chennai's marina beach Loop Road have been asked to vacate as stalls lead to traffic congestion

Fisher sellers beside the loop road near Chennai's Marina Beach have been asked to relocate due to traffic congestion.

(Image altered by The Quint/Namita Chauhan)

Video Producer: Maaz Hasan
Video Editor: Purnendu Pritam
Cameraperson: Samyak Jadhav

On 11 April, the Madras High Court ordered the eviction of fisher folks from the Loop road near Chennai's Marina Beach, causing traffic congestion. The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) informed the court that it plans to relocate them. Fisher folks say the move has impacted their livelihood.

I went to Mullima Nagar, near Marina Beach, to meet these fisher folks who are upset with GCC as the administration has decided to seize their shops under the encroachment removal drive as they are restricted to the western side to avoid traffic congestion on the Loop Road and Santhome Road.

Fisher folks catch fish in the sea and sell them on the footpath near the beach.

(Photo Credit: Samyak Jadhav)

Santosh, a fish seller, tells me that they have been coming to Mullima Nagar for fishing and sell the fish for ages since it's their generational occupation. Whatever they catch from the sea adjacent to the road, they sell on the road.

"A few years ago, this road wasn't here. Some politicians convinced us for construction of the road for an emergency, and we thought it would benefit us too. After a few days, they made the road wider. We didn't say anything about that and thought it would benefit us, too. Now, they want us to sell fish here. They think of it as a shameful thing. They think it is a disrespectful, unclean profession."

Santosh, Fish Seller

The fishing community in Chennai is dominated by women who do not have any other source of income except their fish vending shops, unlike the men in the community. So, for these women, it's not easy to relocate.

Women dominate the fishing community in Chennai.

(Photo Credit: Samyak Jadhav)

"We have been catching and selling fish here only. Suddenly they told us not to sell here any more. We have been doing this for years, and now they are removing us. I only know how to sell fish. Suddenly if you ask us to go, where will we go? I have sold fish all my life."

Vimla, Fish Seller

Last month, the fisher folks staged a protest against their eviction.

(Photo Credit: Samyak Jadhav)

Following the high court's order to reduce the traffic congestion on the road, the GCC plans to relocate the fisher folks to a new fish market built in Nochikuppam. The new facility will have 384 fish stalls.

Last month, the fisher folks staged a protest against their eviction. The Loop road, where the fish is being sold, is usually very busy and used by the VVIPs of Chennai, such as the Madras High Court judges, lawyers, bureaucrats, etc. The fishing community claims

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