Vizhinjam Port Project
Why in news :
- From the last 4 months, this port project has been on the boil with the fishing community protesting to stop the project.
Why protests ?
- According to the protesters, the port work has aggravated the coastal erosion along the coast of Thiruvananthapuram.
- They raised various demands like scientific study to assess the impact of the port work on the shoreline, a decent rehabilitation package to those who are displaced due to high-intensity coastal erosion, minimum wage and subsidized kerosene for boats.
Kerala government’s stand :
- The government made it clear that the coastal erosion is due to climate change.
- The seaport is being constructed inside a natural sediment cell which is a pocket-like area which do not have much impact on the adjacent coastline.
Key facts about the Vizhinjam project :
- It is located on the southern tip of the Indian Peninsula.
- It is 16 Km away from Thiruvananthapuram, capital of State of Kerala.
- It is just 10 nautical miles from the major international sea route.
- It has natural water with depth of more than 20m.
Syllabus : prelims; location and important ports in news