Alappuzha: Kerala has a long coastline and numerous inland water bodies, which provide an ideal topography to conduct seaplane services. However, the first successful seaplane flight in the state took place only on Monday, as all earlier attempts had failed owing to various reasons. 

In fact, the first seaplane took off in the state 11 years from Ashtamudi Lake in Kollam and it was flagged off by the then Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. The service, which was intended to give a boost to the tourism sector in the state, was supposed to land at Punnamada Lake in Alappuzha, but had to return to Ashtamudi following protests by organisations of fisherfolk.

The seaplane could not land at Punnamada as fisherfolk gathered in small canoes at the area designated as waterdrome and cast their nets. They protestors claimed that inland fish workers and labourers gathering clams would lose their livelihood if the seaplane conducted services. Dheevara Sabha, led by the then chairman of Matsyafed V Dinakaran, also opposed the seaplane project.

'Emerging Kerala' initiative
In 2011, the UDF government announced the seaplane project as part of the 'Emerging Kerala' initiative. Under the project, the seaplane was supposed to connect the tourism centres Ashtamudi, Punnamada and Bekal. 

The project's implementing agency was Kerala Tourism Infrastructure Limited (KTIL), and it was decided that the first trial flight of the seaplane from Ashtamudi Lake to Punnamada would be conducted on June 2, 2013.

As scheduled, the six-seater Cessna-2016 aircraft took off from Ashtamudi, but it could not land in Punnamada Lake owing to the protest staged by a coordination committee led by Left organisations, and returned to Ashtamudi. Organisations at the forefront of the protest included Matsya Thozhilali Federation (CITU) under the CPM and Matsya Thozhilali Union (AITUC) under the CPI. 

After the landing was aborted, the seaplane project was abandoned, resulting in a loss of crores of rupees spent on building the necessary infrastructure, such as X-ray scanners, surveillance cameras, and speedboats.

Current status
Even though LDF has now re-launched the seaplane project, AITUC and Dheevara Sabha continue to oppose it. However, the CITU no longer raises objections, with the organisation stating that the latest project does not affect fishing activities.

Meeting on November 17
While the government celebrates the arrival of the seaplane in the state, organisations of fisherfolk point out that the authorities are yet to hold discussions over the project with them. Moreover, no environmental impact study has been conducted, they say.

The Kerala Fishermen Coordination Committee will meet in Alappuzha on November 17 to discuss the concerns raised by the fisherfolk, said the committee chairman T N Prathapan. The committee comprises fish workers' associations of all political parties and the Dheevara Sabha. 

Meanwhile, P P Chitharanjan, MLA, the state general secretary of Matsya Thozhilali Federation (CITU), said that his organisation had opposed the seaplane project in 2013 as it would have caused job loss to inland fish workers. "The area designated for the landing and take-off of the seaplane was the workplace of inland fisherfolk and clam-gatherers. The present project has excluded this area; but, if there is any change in the plan, we will oppose this project also," he said.