Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday rejected the primary demand of the fishers agitating at Vizhinjam in Thiruvananthapuram that the work on the Vizhinjam port should be stopped forthwith. "Any attempt to scuttle the project at this stage will be an injustice done to the future generations. We have contributed so much to reach this stage," the Chief Minister said while replying to an adjournment motion moved by Congress MLA M Vincent.

Ports minister Ahammad Devarkovil, on his part, said that the government would have to pay a huge penalty if the work was stopped. Already the dispute related to the delay in the completion of the project is now before an arbitration tribunal headed by Supreme Court judges.

It also seemed that the Chief Minister was unfavourable to the other big demand of the agitating fishers, of constituting an expert panel to study the social and geological impact of the construction on the coast.

According to the Chief Minister, the Vizhinjam port construction was not responsible for the erosion along the southern coast of the state. He attributed the erosion solely to climate change, especially the frequent cyclones and depressions that had buffeted the coast since 2016. "It cannot be said with any certainty that the erosion witnessed in areas like Valiyathura and Shanghumughom was the result of port construction. It has to be noted that there was no erosion in the five-kilometre stretch close to the project site," the Chief Minister said. He also said that the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal had rejected all petitions that accused the project of causing severe coastal degradation.

Making plain his dismissive attitude towards the agitators, the Chief Minister insinuated suspicious motives behind the ongoing agitation led by the Latin Archdiocese of Thiruvananthapuram. "It cannot be said that only locals are taking part in the protest. It looks like the agitation was planned in advance," he said. It was ports minister Ahammad Devarkovil who had first levelled such a provocative charge.

Opposition Leader V D Satheesan strongly countered the Chief Minister's argument that erosion was not the result of port construction. "When just one-third of the work was completed, more than 600 metres of the coast was lost. In Valiyathura alone, five lines of fishermen's houses were lost to erosion in the last five years," Satheesan said.

The Opposition Leader said the previous UDF government under Oommen Chandy had anticipated such erosion. "Then, it was found that over 3000 of the 7890 houses between Panathura and Valiyathura would be affected by the project. It was on the basis of this assessment that the UDF government announced Rs-471-crore rehabilitation package in addition to the usual compensation package. Of this, Rs 300 crore was for land acquisition alone," Satheesan said. "Not a single rupee from this package has been utilised," he said.

Satheesan also said that the government should not undermine the fisherfolk's strike. "Had it not been for the agitation you would have thought of shifting families dumped in cramped godowns to rented houses. It is only now, after the fishers rose up in protest, that you even thought of acquiring land for the purpose," Satheesan said.

Tharoor tweets disappointment

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, meanwhile, expressed his disappointment over the CM's stand on coastal erosion. In a four-part tweet, he said: "As all who have seen my repeated statements & tweets on this for ten years know, coastal erosion is a reality. Displacement of people who lost their houses due to sea inundation is a fact."

He attributed the "unfortunate situation" being faced by the fisherfolk in Vizhinjam and beyond to the failure of the state government in implementing the rehabilitation and coastal conservation package envisaged as part of the port project to mitigate its potential environmental impact.

"It is unacceptable to question the motives of people who are agitating for their rightful existence & livelihood. The CM should have personally met them & heard them out. That is what I expected after my recent meeting with him on this issue. I am disappointed he has not done so," further tweeted Tharoor.

While agreeing that the problem of coastal erosion predated the port construction, the MP pointed out that the failure of the state and central governments in providing adequate funds to build seawalls and groynes, like in Tamil Nadu, has cost Kerala 64 sq km of territory.

Tharoor concluded by urging the CM to act with "sympathy and urgency."