Return our land: Chennai fishermen oppose new Secretariat; seek land for community

Fishermen in Chennai's Pattinapakkam have opposed the proposed new Secretariat at the site. They say the land was meant for displaced fishing families and fear fresh livelihood disruptions.Chennai fishermen oppose new Secretariat, say land was meant for fishing community. (Representative image)Fishermen in Chennai's Pattinapakkam have opposed the proposed construction of a new Secretariat in the area, claiming the land was originally intended for the welfare of the local fishing community.The fishermen have questioned the government's decision to use the land for the Secretariat, saying families were relocated from the site in 1958 with a promise that better houses would be built for them. Nearly seven decades later, they said, that promise remains unfulfilled.LAND DISPUTE AND RELOCATIONFisherman Vijay said the land originally belonged to Communist leader Singaravelar, who gave it to the government for the upliftment of the poor."The land originally belonged to Singaravelar, who gave it to the government for the upliftment of the poor. The government should return the land to us," Vijay said. He said people living on the land were relocated in 1958 after the government promised to construct better houses for them. However, the promised houses were never built, he alleged."People living on this land were relocated in 1958 with the promise that better houses would be built for them. It has been nearly 70 years, but those houses were never built. Now, instead, a new Secretariat is coming up on the same land," he said. Vijay also questioned the explanation given by the MLA in the past that there were no funds available to construct houses for the displaced families."When we asked MLAs about the houses, we were told there were no funds. Where have the funds come from now?" he asked.1,200-1,300 FAMILIES COULD BE AFFECTEDAnother fisherman, Bharathi, said around 1,200-1,300 families from Mullikuppam and Mullimanagar would be directly affected by the proposed project."Our demand is simple. The land should be returned to the families who were displaced. There are around 1,200-1,300 families from Mullikuppam and Mullimanagar who are directly affected," Bharathi said.The fishermen also expressed concern about how the proposed Secretariat could affect their daily livelihood, particularly because of traffic restrictions and security arrangements in the area.Bharathi said increased security movement and the Chief Minister's convoy could lead to frequent restrictions in the area."With the Chief Minister's convoy and heightened security movement in the area, there could be constant traffic restrictions and impediments to our livelihood," he said.The fishermen said they will hold a large meeting on September 15, following which they will take a final call on their course of action regarding the proposed Secretariat project.- EndsPublished On: Sep 10, 2026 20:19 IST