Fishermen of Pazhaverkadu in TN seek relief for damage due to oil spill

Chennai: Fishermen belonging to 40 fishing villages in Pazhaverkadu region of Tiruvallur district on Sunday demanded that the state government provide them with adequate compensation as they were affected by the oil spillage that originated from north Chennai.

M Jayapaul, a fisher and one of the representatives of fishermen villages of Pazhaverkadu under Ponneri taluk, said fishermen's livelihoods were affected due to the oil spillage that originated from north Chennai area.

Fishing and revenue authorities held talks with them after they announced that they would take out a march to the state secretariat seeking relief, he added.

"We will take a final decision on our plan to take out a rally from Pazhaverkadu to the state secretariat that was originally scheduled for December 26," he told PTI.

The fishermen are spread across 40 fishing villages in Pazhaverkadu of Tiruvallur district, which is part of north Tamil Nadu.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin had on December 23 ordered cash assistance ranging between Rs 7,500 and Rs 12,500 to 9,001 families affected by the oil spill in north Chennai areas.

Also, Stalin directed authorities to disburse Rs 10,000 to each of the 787 affected boats. The government allocation for this purpose is Rs 8.68 crore.

Due to cyclone Michaung (December 3-4) triggered rains and resultant floods here, oil spillage surfaced in the Kosasthalai river/the Ennore creek in north Chennai.

Oil mixed with flood water and it spread further reaching the creek area, affecting fishing villages, coastal neighbourhoods and birds including pelicans.

The oil spill originated from north Chennai, where the Chennai Petroleum Corporation's refinery is located.

Additional Chief Secretary (Environment) Supriya Sahu had said in a post on 'X' on December 23: "Mangroves restoration work in oil spill areas in Ennore creek has begun. The area is divided into four zones. Low speed sea water jet pipes will clean oil deposits which will be absorbed using soak pads, skimmers and oil booms and safely disposed. Slow and laborious process to clean about 60 hectares of mangroves but we will get there."