The fishing community of Nochikuppam have temporarily called off their protest against the Madras High Court’s ruling to evict fish stalls on the west side of Marina loop road. In the suo motu case hearing on April 19, the HC bench of Justices SS Sundar and PB Balaji directed the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) to regulate the operation of fish stalls without contributing to traffic congestion in the route. The court has postponed the hearing to June 19.
“We have lost businesses for the one week we have been protesting. After the ruling today, we request the government to protect both fishing and selling fish on this stretch. We thank the police department for protecting law and order here and helping us to protest peacefully,” K Bharathi, former Vice President of Mylapore-Nochikuppam Fishing Gram Sabha, said, while addressing the press.
Earlier today, the obstructions were moved to the west side of the road, enabling traffic on the east side of the road. The protesting community then came together and decided to let go of the fight temporarily, after the government communicated its support to them. Ma Subramanian, Minister for Health and Family Welfare, conducted a meeting with the corporation officials and Mylapore constituency MLA Dha Velu to discuss solutions on April 18.
Mullaikodi, a fisher woman, told TNM, “We are temporarily taking back this protest. They have assured that we will be allowed to have our fish stalls without disrupting the traffic. If they once again try to curb our business, then we will be forced to protest again.”
The GCC also released a statement about a new market structure worth Rs 10 crore being built to capacitate 384 stalls with synthetic roofing and parking area adequate for 155 two wheelers and 60 four wheelers to facilitate free flow of traffic, and easy access to consumers.
When asked about the market being constructed by the GCC for fish stalls, Mullakodi said that they repeatedly asked the corporation not to build it. “They cannot expect our housing to be at one place and our business to be at another place. Even if they complete it, we will not go there,” she said.
Speaking to TNM, Bharathi said, “The police department has taken the responsibility to regulate traffic here, and we hope we can expect the same co-operation from GCC also.” The community also thanked the Police Deputy Commissioner of Mylapore zone, Rajat Chaturvedi, who was present at the camp, for letting them protest peacefully.
Under the Madras High Court’s immediate eviction order, the GCC and police officials had razed down the fish stalls along the west side of the Loop Road on April 12. The fishing community of the area protested the eviction order on April 12 and 13 until they were given temporary permission to continue their business with restrictions.
The protest resumed on April 17 when corporation and police officials once again restrained the community from having their stalls on the west side of the loop road. The protestors had blocked the stretch from Light House to Pattinapakkam with catamarans, mini freezers, and other equipment to shut out traffic. Men and women from the locality continued their demonstration through the night on April 17 and 18.
Additional traffic police officers were deployed opposite Kutchery Road and Karaneeswarar Koil Street, and adjacent to the Light House, where Santhome High Road branches to the loop road. The protest drew the attention of various politicians who visited the camp and extended their support.