Thoothukudi (Tamil Nadu): The people living in fishing villages around Manappadu in Thoothukudi district have raised the banner of revolt against the Kulasekaranpattinam rocket launch pad project, saying that it would hit their livelihood even as the land acquisition work is going on in full swing following an approval given by the Centre after a gap of several years.
It may be recalled that just like the Sriharikota rocket launch pad in Andhra Pradesh from which the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is launching its satellites, a similar launch pad should be set up at Kulasekaranpattinam, said DMK MP Kanimozhi while writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Even at that time, there was strong opposition from the fishing community people to this proposal.
However, a section of the people welcomed the proposed project, saying that if the rocket launching pad was set up at Kulasekaranpattinam, it would provide direct employment to 5,000 persons and indirect job to 25,000 persons and as a result, the southern districts including Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli would attain progress from several perspectives.
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In connection with the project, works have been going on at a fast pace to acquire lands measuring 2,233 acres in Tiruchendur and Sattankulam taluks.
But, opposing the project, the Manappadu fishing villagers have kept black flags fluttering in streets, at houses and in boats. Several people from a cluster of fishing villages around Manappadu have also jumped on the bandwagon of the agitation.
Andrews, president of the Manappadu Welfare Committee, recalled that after the Sriharikota rocket launch pad became operational in 1971, it was expanded in 2005 and 2013. After the expansion was completed, the total expanse of the pad measured 27 km. For the development of the Sriharikota rocket launch pad, more than one lakh people were evacuated from their dwelling places in 30 villages. “So, we fear that the same fate would befall us too,” he noted.
He continued to say that first of all, it was wrong to have selected a residential place for setting up the rocket launch pad. As happened in the case of Sriharikota, when the rocket launch pad proposed at Kulasekaranpattinam was later expanded, all surrounding villages including Manappaadu would be wiped out. Besides, ignoring the fishermen’s protests, a thermal power project is being set up at Udangudi and a coal unloading base coming up at Kallamozhi. As a consequence, the coral reefs in the region would be ruined and also the livelihood of around 25,000 fishing families would also be put at stake, he said.
But the District Collector Senthilraj said that the fishermen would be educated on the Kulasekaranpattinam rocket launch pad project. A project explanation meeting has already taken place, at which all doubts aired by fishermen were cleared. However, their opinions and views would be taken to the notice of the government, he added.
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A section of the people, though, have expressed hope and support over the project. They said development projects would always spell certain inconveniences and discomforts, but what mattered ultimately was the progress of the nation. A school of thought said that the cost of launching satellites from Kulasekaranpattinam would be half that of launching satellites from Sriharikota. So, the country will in the long run attain self-sufficiency in the field of space research and development and it will prove beneficial to the people ultimately.
