[FredderiK]

Fishermen belonging to Nalla Thaneer Odai Kuppam, whose homes come in the way of Ennore expressway, which is being currently widened, are refusing to budge from their homes.

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On Wednesday, a meeting convened by revenue officials remained inconclusive as the fishermen stuck to their stand and insisted that houses be built on highway poromboke land that will not be used for the expressway.

The Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board had proposed that the 447 families be relocated to tenements constructed on land belonging to All India Radio. The fishermen said that their livelihood would be affected if they moved to that location, which is over 5 km away.

“Fishermen usually have fishing rights near their villages. If we move from here, where will we fish? The government should consider giving us alternate space near the current location,” a resident of NTO Kuppam said.

So far, over 1,824 families living along the road have been relocated elsewhere. Only those in NTO Kuppam and 47 families in Cherian Nagar remain to be rehabilitated.

Source: The Hindu