Fisherfolk's protests bear fruit as CRZ denies clearance for the port on Ennore Creek

The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has rejected the Kamarajar Port's proposal to locate port facilities on the eastern banks of the Kosasthalaiyar's backwaters in Ennore Creek following a long struggle by local fishermen.

The fisherfolk, however, said their battle to declare all of Ennore Creek off limits for industrial projects will intensify.

The port had planned to develop facilities like office, commercial buildings and parking terminals on the eastern part of the ecologically fragile intertidal salt pans. Environmental and CRZ Clearance accorded to Kamarajar Port for its Phase III expansion dated 30th October 2018 ordered to relocate these facilities. The Environment Ministry ruled, "The water bodies and wetlands are more important than the development activity."However, the union ministry has allowed Kamarajar Port to construct facilities like coal yards on the western part of the Ennore wetlands.